![Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State [PHOTO CREDIT: Babajide Sanwo-Olu]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2024/08/450939941_1084933326332263_2151425214280163656_n-e1722489490931.jpg?fit=1432%2C847&ssl=1)
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has scheduled the state council election for July 12.
Tope Ojo, LASIEC’s head of public affairs, made this announcement on Friday in Lagos.
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He said the election for 57 council chairmanship positions and 376 councillor seats will take place on 12 July. If necessary, a re-run will occur on 19 July.
Lagos State comprises 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).
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The election date was chosen to avoid a leadership vacuum in the state’s councils.
LASIEC’s notice confirmed that the election will include 20 Local Governments, 37 LCDAs, and 376 wards.
With the current local government administration nearing its end, LASIEC has ramped up efforts for a smooth election process.
The commission has officially launched the electoral process with the release of the Notice of Election.
Political parties must visit the LASIEC headquarters to obtain nomination forms for their candidates.
Mr Ojo confirmed that a meeting with all registered political parties is set for Tuesday.
“The Election Guidelines will be published on April 17,” Mr Ojo added.
According to him, campaigns and rallies will start on April 18 and end on July 9.
Nomination Forms for “substituted” and “only candidate” submissions must be submitted between June 18 and June 25.
LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd), assured a fair and level playing field for all political parties.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to holding a free, fair, inclusive, and credible election.
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Mr Okikiolu-Ighile encouraged political parties and aspirants to strictly follow the electoral timetable.
The last local government election in Lagos was held on 24 July 2021. In that contest, the All Progressives Congress (APC) won all the chairmanship seats in all the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The ruling party also won 375 of the 377 councilorship seats spread across the 20 LGs and 37 LCDAs.
The party lost only two councillorship seats — one each to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
PDP’s Adeshola Thomas won in Ward G, Yaba LCDA, while YPP’s Omotunde Abdul-Kareem prevailed in Ward D of Orile-Agege LCDA to deny the APC a hundred percent performance record in that election.
