Security has been beefed up around the All Progressives Congress secretariat in Lagos, ahead of the chapter’s state congress on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria correspondent who was at the ACME Road, Ikeja, secretariat of the party reports that scores of armed security officials were stationed around the secretariat, where the congress would be held.
Just opposite the secretariat, some armed policemen were seen standing by an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed there.
The others were in three patrol vans watching around the secretariat to prevent any threats to security.
Private security guards manning the secretariat gate were also seen screening visitors to the party office.
However, the heavy security did not prevent some party members from staging a protest at the secretariat.
No fewer than 100 protesters, all female, from the Odi-Olowo area of the state, protested the candidature of one Mrs Adeyemi Idera for an executive position in Saturday’s congress.
The women, all carrying placards rejecting Idera, said the chieftain no longer enjoyed the support of members in Odi-Olowo.
“We don’t want her. She should not represent us. She does not enjoy our support,’ Alhaja Mulikat Adeola, who led the protest said.
Vice Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Funsho Ologunde, who addressed the protesters urged them to remain calm.
He said the protest was not necessary as the chieftain’s name was not on the list of candidates.
“We are in the month of Ramadan, so we should not embark on things that will wear us out.
“The protest is not necessary, the name of Idera is not on the candidates’ list. That I can assure you,” he said.
The protesters, thereafter, erupted in singing and dancing following Ologunde’s assurance.
Speaking on preparations for the congress, Assistant Publicity of the party in the state, Mr Abiodun Salami, said all arrangements had been concluded.
He said no fewer than 2500 delegates would elect 27 executive members at the congress.
Salami said one of the executive positions would be reserved for a member living with disability in line with the party’s policy of inclusiveness.
He said the security in place at the secretariat on Friday was a measure of the watertight security that would be in place at the congress proper on Saturday.
“We are set for the congress on Saturday. The candidates have obtained forms and submitted.
“All arrangements have been perfected including security; you can see the atmosphere, it is going to be watertight tomorrow.
“We are set for our state congress and I can assure, it is going to be successful,” he said.
Nigerian third ranked Billionaire according to Forbes, Femi Otedola, has come out plan to address the speculation that he wants to run for governorship position in Lagos state.
The rumour was triggered following his recent trip on the popular Lagos bus called Molue. Otedola, however, debunked rumors of him running for office, using his official Twitter account.
In his tweet he shared that even though he is (and will always be) on the side of the masses, he is not running for office.
The billionaire further threw his weight behind the current Governor of Lagos State, Akimwomi Ambode.
His tweet read
“My attention has been drawn to a news piece where false information from a parody account was posted.
“I am a man of the people and I will always be on the side of the masses but I am stating clearly via this medium that I am not running for office.
“The Governor of Lagos State is doing a commendable job and Lagosians should be proud of him.”
See screenshots below;
Former Governor of Lagos State and Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Fashola, has explained why he did not vote on Saturday during the Lagos’ Local Government elections.
Reporters and residents around Ward G3, Unit 002, State Senior Grammar School, Itolo, where he normally cast his vote, waited endlessly for the Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
Fashola also was not visible ahead of the election to mobilise his constituents to vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC, as was the case when he served as Lagos Governor.
Reacting, his spokesman, Hakeem Bello, said Fashola was busy with official duties.
“The Honourable Minister was in Abuja, busy with his assigned responsibilities. Thanks”, Bello said in a text to newsmen on Sunday.
The Minister has stayed away from Lagos politics and official gathering since 2015.
Fashola failed to attend the Lagos at 50 event organised by the Akinwunmi Ambode administration, attended by all former Lagos governors including Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Some voters in Lagos on Saturday said they turned out for the council elections in spite of an unfavourable weather in demonstration of patriotism and contribution to democratic development, NAN reports.
The rain, accompanied with thunderstorms, began in Lagos at 5.00a.m. and lasted for more than two hours before subsiding in many areas.
The showers, however, returned after some time, drenching some voters who defied it to cast their votes in many areas, while others found shades to avoid such experience as they waited to have their turn.
Some voters who spoke to NAN in Surulere, Ebute Meta, Ikotun and some other parts of the state said that they believed that their votes would count.
Forty-five-year-old Mrs Monsurat Adebayo, told NAN at Polling Unit 006 on Raufu Williams Road, Surulere that she had been looking forward to voting in the elections.
Adebayo said: “I used to live in this neighbourhood and have moved to another, but I had to drive down here to cast my vote as a patriotic Nigerian.
“I also intend to go and talk to my friends in the neighbourhood to come out to vote.
“I am impressed that some people turned out for the polls in spite of the rain. I am also happy that voting is peaceful.“
A 27-year-old student, Mr Seun Dosunmu, also said that he was determined to vote for credible candidates for a better future.
“I hope the whole exercise turns out successful,“ he told NAN.
A trader, Mrs Zainab Belly, who has lived for 20 years in Ward 5, Itire-Ikate LCDA, said that she was happy to vote to contribute to the grow of democracy.
“I see no reason why today’s election should be violent because we had been waiting for it.
“ We are peaceful people living in this area; we want the best for our council area and the whole state,” she said.
An electrician, Mr John Ahmed, told NAN in the ward that he had also been looking forward to voting for the candidate of his choice who, he said, would develop the area.
At a polling unit located at St. Peter’s Anglican Primary school on Apapa Road in Ebute Meta, delayed arrival of electoral officers and materials made some male residents desiring to cast their votes to resort to football playing.
They said that they would wait to cast their votes to demonstrate their patriotism.
In Ikorodu, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly commended the electorate for coming out in spite the rain.
Agunbiade encouraged the youths to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice, as the process was to develop the communities and grassroots.
He cast his vote around 11:00am at Ward F in Ikorodu central.
Source
NAN
Despite the heavy downpour witnessed across Lagos State, the governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, cast his vote at about 9:31 am, leading scores of electorate to the venue.
Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode cast his vote at unity 10, wold A6, Ogunmodede juniors college in Epe Ambode, who was the 12th person to cast his vote among the 458 accredited voters at Ward A6 unit 33, Ogunmodede College, Papa, Epe Local Government, arrived the voting center at about 9:31 am, Worried by the turnout few minutes before casting his vote, the governor appealed to residents to defy the heavy downpour and troop out to perform their civic duties.
Addressing reporters shortly after casting his vote, he said reports from across the state indicate that the whole process has been peaceful.
It would be noted that the heavy rainfalls of today has caused a low turn out of voters in Lagos for the Local Government poll with a lot of areas being heavily flooded by the outcome of the downpour.
Agents of opposition parties on Saturday discovered ballot papers in a commercial bus during the Lagos State Local Government elections.
Our correspondent learnt that the ballot papers were found in one of seven commercial buses, popularly known as danfo, that left Agege Local Government Secretariat.
It was learnt that the two occupants of the vehicle ran away after the ballot papers were discovered by the opposition party agents. The agents are accusing the ruling APC in the state of trying to rig the election.
It was learnt that the vehicle had a police escort
The DPO Penn Cinema, Sunday Digha, arrived and ordered a fresh police escort to take the vehicle to Area G, where it was meant to go.
He said the bus was genuinely meant for election duty.
Some of the policemen threatened to shoot anyone who tried to stop the vehicle from moving.
The opposition agents claimed that the vehicle does not have the proper tag to show that it was on election duty like the other vehicles.
A collation officer for Accord Party, Mr. Sabith Bolanle, said: “We have been here since last night; then this morning, we saw as vehicles started leaving the secretariat for the seven wards in the area. After six left, we tried to stop the seventh one when we noticed that there was no tag on it. Each vehicle has a tag; the tag on this one had just been tucked on the dashboard by the driver before he ran away. We must see the end of this matter.”
Source
The PUNCH
The Lagos State Police Command said five fake party agents have been arrested. It, however, did not state where the arrest was made and the identities of the suspects.
According to Punch Metro, it was learnt that the suspects were apprehended by policemen attached to the Area F command. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole confirmed the arrest.
“But I am yet to get details of the suspects. They are in our custody,” he added.
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