As of 9:45 a.m. on Saturday, dozens of electoral officials and security personnel were stranded at the Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA) secretariat in Lagos, awaiting deployment for the ongoing local government elections.
Our correspondent, who visited the area, observed visible frustration among officials—many of whom had arrived as early as Friday night—over delays in logistical coordination.
“I slept out here on Friday night, and till now, they haven’t assigned us to any polling unit. It’s frustrating,” one official, who declined to be named, told our reporter.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) is conducting local government elections across the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas to elect chairmen and councillors at the grassroots level.
While the polls are regarded as a crucial step toward strengthening local governance and accountability, delays in deployment and logistics have raised concerns about LASIEC’s preparedness in some areas.
At Ikosi-Isheri, the atmosphere was tense as both security personnel and electoral staff lamented poor communication, lack of coordination, and inadequate welfare provisions. Some said they had not received food or stipends since their arrival.
Despite the delays, electoral materials were still being sorted inside the secretariat as of press time, and several polling units had not been staffed.
Voter turnout in the area appeared low in the early hours, with some residents reportedly unaware of polling unit locations or discouraged by the slow start.
LASIEC officials are yet to issue a formal statement on the situation at Ikosi-Isheri LCDA.
