The Labour Party (LP) in Lagos State has expressed skepticism over the ability of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to conduct a credible local government election scheduled for July 12, 2025.
LP’s spokesperson in Lagos, Ife Salako, voiced the party’s concerns on Wednesday during the West Africa Civic Tech Conference held in Lagos. He cited LASIEC’s previous conduct and what he described as a consistent pattern of institutional inefficiency.
“I don’t have confidence in LASIEC to conduct a free and fair election,” Salako said. “But we can actually force them to do the right thing. There’s a way to put pressure on an institution to act rightly, even if it’s reluctant to do so.”
While expressing doubts about LASIEC’s neutrality, Salako remained hopeful that civic pressure and political engagement could compel the commission to adhere to democratic standards.
He also addressed the internal leadership crisis currently rocking the Labour Party, which has led to uncertainty over the party’s candidate submissions for the upcoming council polls.
The party is currently factionalized, with groups loyal to Julius Abure, Lamidi Apapa, and a caretaker committee reportedly supported by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti. This division, Salako noted, has made it difficult for the party to present a unified list of candidates to LASIEC across the state.
Salako criticised LASIEC for requesting clarification from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on which faction to recognize, describing the move as an abdication of administrative responsibility.
“You go to your INEC portal. Who is recognised there as the chairman of the party? If INEC does not recognise Abure, then remove his name. But you know, Abure has been there for a while,” he said.
He maintained that INEC’s current records clearly list Julius Abure as the national chairman of the Labour Party and urged LASIEC to align with that position.
“How long will it take?” he queried. “Until INEC officially removes the name from its portal, there’s no basis for debate. As it stands, Julius Abure is recognised by INEC, and LASIEC should accept candidates submitted under his leadership.”
Salako warned that any deviation from INEC’s stance would signal institutional inconsistency and further erode public trust in the electoral process.
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