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The Lagos State focal person for YIAGA Africa, Vivian Emesowum, has strongly criticised the recent local government elections, describing them as an “election without competition.”
Speaking on Thursday August 7, 2025 at an election dialogue hosted by News Central TV, Emesowum presented the findings of the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, YIAGA Africa’s observers, who were deployed across all 57 local government areas and development councils.
She emphasised that the purpose of the discussion was to find a way forward and ensure better elections in the future for a state that prides itself on being a “centre of excellence.”
Emesowum highlighted significant logistical failures during the election. She noted that many polling centres opened hours late, with some not starting until 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m., well past the official 8:30 a.m. start time.
According to reports from YIAGA observers, some polling units were deserted for hours with no officials present.
She insisted that there is a clear need for improved logistics to ensure election materials are delivered to polling units on time.
The role of security agents was also a major point of concern. Emesowum stated that security personnel were not performing their assigned duties at the polling centres.
She remarked that they were not there to “sit in a corner” and collect food or money, but to serve a specific purpose.
She stressed the importance of proper training for security agents to ensure they understand and execute their responsibilities during an election.
In her address, Emesowum also spoke about the need for electoral and legal reforms.
She called for the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to be a truly independent body, free from the control of the state or any political party.
She added that the LASIEC law should be aligned with the national electoral law to hold the commission accountable.
Furthermore, she pointed out a significant lack of voter education, noting that many residents were not even aware that an election was happening.
She urged opposition parties to engage in continuous voter education, rather than waiting until the last minute before an election.
