Local government elections across Lagos State commenced on Saturday with reports of low voter turnout and procedural issues in several locations, despite the early deployment of electoral officials by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).

At Polling Unit 008, Ward F in Iyalla, Ikeja, LASIEC officials arrived by 7:59 a.m., but voting did not begin until around 10:25 a.m. due to a delay in the availability of ballot papers. Accreditation had started earlier without issue, although voters at the nearby PU 004, Ward C, experienced difficulty locating their polling units due to the absence of ward lists on display.

In PU 085, Ward F—President Bola Tinubu’s polling unit—officials were fully set by 8:29 a.m., but party agents from parties other than the APC were missing. By 1:30 p.m., LASIEC officials confirmed that only five out of 62 registered voters had turned out to vote.

A similar pattern of low turnout was observed at PU 013, Ward E, Oregun, Onigbongbo LCDA, where the presiding officer reported fewer than 50 votes cast out of 803 registered voters as of noon, despite voting starting at 9:30 a.m.

In Agbado/Oke Odo LCDA, voters at PU 009, 39 Ekoro Junction, were accredited manually after LASIEC failed to provide an official voter register. Officials resorted to writing names on paper for accreditation.

In Ifako/Ijaiye LGA, election materials were delayed, with some polling units not receiving supplies until well after 9 a.m. At PU 027, Ward New Ifako/Oyemekun, only one vote had been cast by 11 a.m. out of 72 registered voters.

Security and monitoring presence were noted in several areas. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) deployed personnel to observe possible vote buying in Ikeja.

Despite efforts by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to encourage turnout ahead of the polls, field reports throughout the morning and early afternoon indicate that voter apathy and logistical inconsistencies remain prominent challenges.

Voting is scheduled to continue across all 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas until the close of polls later today.