Former Deputy Governor Bucknor-Akerele Calls for Cancellation of Lagos LG Polls over Alleged Irregularities

Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, has called for the immediate cancellation of the ongoing local government elections in the state, citing widespread irregularities, voter suppression, and deliberate disenfranchisement.

The elder stateswoman made the call on Saturday, July 12, 2025, during a live interview on Nigeria Info and in comments to journalists, expressing outrage over what she described as a “deliberate effort to rig the elections in favour of one political party.”

Bucknor-Akerele recounted her personal experience at her polling unit, where she attempted to vote but discovered that her name was missing from the official register. She explained that she had checked her details prior to the election using the appropriate verification platforms and had been confident of her eligibility, only to find herself excluded on election day.

She described the situation as shocking and unacceptable, especially given her long-standing history as a registered voter in the area.

Adding to her frustration, the former deputy governor pointed to what she termed “deliberate confusion” around the relocation of polling units. According to her, units previously located at familiar and accessible landmarks, such as the front of the Eko Hotel, were suddenly moved to obscure streets like Ajose Adeogun without adequate notice.

This, she argued, created unnecessary hardship for voters and effectively prevented many from exercising their democratic rights.

“There is a clear effort to rig the election in favour of one party. Many people are not able to vote because they have completely disrupted all the polling units,” she said. Bucknor-Akerele, who served as deputy governor between 1999 and 2003, added that the scale of the disruption across the state showed that the issues were not isolated mistakes but part of a coordinated effort to manipulate the outcome.

She urged the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to cancel the entire election exercise, describing it as fundamentally flawed and lacking credibility. She emphasized that democracy must rest on a foundation of transparency and fairness, neither of which, in her view, was present in the conduct of the current local government elections.

Her remarks come amid a wave of complaints from voters across Lagos, including reports of missing materials, late arrival of electoral officials, technical hitches with card readers, and unexplained changes to voting locations. Civil society groups and election observers have also raised concerns about the level of preparedness by LASIEC, echoing fears that the election may not meet the minimum standards of fairness and inclusiveness.

The Lagos LG elections, which are meant to fill the positions of chairmen and councillors across the state’s 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas, have long been criticized for poor turnout and credibility concerns. However, the strong rebuke from a prominent figure like Bucknor-Akerele adds significant weight to the growing calls for electoral reform at the local level.

As of Saturday afternoon, LASIEC had yet to issue a formal response to the allegations raised by the former deputy governor. The situation continues to generate widespread public reaction, with many Lagosians questioning the integrity of the process and demanding accountability from the state’s electoral commission.