By: Manoah kikekon
Tensions flared at the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) office on Monday as candidates from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), discovered their nomination forms had mysteriously disappeared.
The incident has sparked accusations of deliberate sabotage, with opposition parties alleging that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is being given preferential treatment ahead of the July 12 local government elections .
The crisis unfolded during the screening exercise for chairmanship and councillorship candidates, which began on June 26. While some political parties were processed without issues, PDP and LP candidates arrived on their scheduled dates only to be told their forms were missing despite having submitted them weeks earlier.
A PDP candidate from Badagry recounted how LASIEC officials demanded additional documents, including photocopies of voters' cards, of the nominees at the last minute, further delaying the process. By 8 PM on Monday, frustration boiled over, leading to protests and a near-riot that forced the exercise to a halt .
In stark contrast, APC candidates reportedly faced no such hurdles. They were screened on Saturday, June 28, and all were cleared without reports of missing documents or bureaucratic delays.
This disparity has fueled suspicions of bias, with opposition parties accusing LASIEC of colluding with the APC to disqualify strong contenders. "This is a targeted move to suppress the PDP because our candidates are widely accepted by the people," said Prince Adedipe Ewenla, a PDP chieftain .
Affected candidates from Agege LGA, Iba LCDA, and Olorunda LCDA, Badagry LGA are now in limbo, unsure if they will even appear on the ballot. A Labour Party candidate from Iba LCDA called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene, stating, "We urge the Lagos State Government to act before it’s too late." Meanwhile, LASIEC has yet to issue an official statement, deepening concerns about the fairness of the upcoming elections .
The controversy raises serious questions about LASIEC’s neutrality. With opposition parties threatening legal action and civil society groups monitoring the situation, the credibility of the July 12 elections hangs in the balance.
As one protester shouted in Pidgin, "You no go do us ojoro!!!" a rallying cry against electoral manipulation the incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Nigeria’s democracy at the grassroots level .