The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has unveiled its plan to tackle voter apathy during Saturday’s local government elections in the state.

At a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, LASIEC chairperson, Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, said the commission was scaling up voter education and grassroots engagement to increase participation, particularly among historically underrepresented groups.

“We know that apathy is real, especially at the local level,” she said. “That’s why we went beyond the usual radio and TV announcements. We were on the streets, in the markets, at UNILAG, Badagry, Alimosho — we were everywhere.”

Mrs Okikiolu-Ighile, who is a retired judge, said LASIEC deployed voter sensitisation teams across the state’s five administrative divisions — Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe — with particular focus on young people, women, traders, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

“We made sure the markets were involved — all the women and men. We engaged people with disabilities because we believe everyone is special, especially them. We also met with youth groups and religious organisations to get the message out.”

She disclosed that the number of polling units in Lagos has increased from 8,000 in 2021 to 13,325 this year, in a bid to bring voting points closer to residents and reduce logistical obstacles.

According to LASIEC data, 7,060,195 voters are registered in Lagos, with 6,214,970 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected so far. Around 845,000 PVCs remain uncollected.

“We urge everyone to check their polling units. Because of the expansion, some locations may have changed — and this time, it will likely be closer to your home than before.”

The LASIEC chair assured the public of adequate security arrangements for the exercise, stating that the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the State Security Service (SSS), and other agencies have committed to deploying at least four officers to each polling unit.

“Security of lives and properties, as well as the safety of materials before, during, and after the election, is our priority. We’ve been assured that there will be no room for intimidation or violence.”

She explained that voting will commence at 8:00 a.m. and end at 3:00 p.m., with provisions made to prioritise persons with disabilities, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and elderly voters.

“We’ve trained our staff and informed our polling agents to act accordingly,” she added.

Mrs Okikiolu-Ighile also emphasised the Commission’s neutrality and warned against vote-buying, urging residents to see the local government poll as the most immediate and impactful form of democratic participation.

“Your vote is your power. Why would you sell it? Why would you remain silent? Silence may be golden sometimes, but not when your community’s future is at stake.

“You are part of this community. You have a right to choose who leads it. Go out and vote. Don’t trade that right. Don’t sit back and complain later,” she stated.

In August 2021, Tayo Ogunbiyi, a director of public affairs at the Ministry of Information and Strategy stated that voter apathy has long plagued local elections in Lagos State.

Mr Ogunbiyi noted that voter turnout was reported to be below 18 per cent, while the 2017 edition saw only a marginal difference, with just 17 per cent of registered voters participating.

He warned that low voter turnout allows candidates to win with a minority of votes, which can undermine legitimacy and reduce public accountability.

Figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) show that only about 35 per cent of the 70 million Nigerians registered for the 2011 general elections actually voted.

Similarly, LASIEC estimates that over 1.4 million PVCs remained uncollected ahead of the 2015 general elections in Lagos.

Report mentioned multiple reasons for the trend: a perception that votes don’t count, distrust in politicians, concerns about electoral violence, and the belief that local government structures are ineffective.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that only 41 per cent of Nigerians trust State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to conduct free and fair local government election.

The report by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) titled “From Apathy to Action: A Reform Blueprint for SIECs and Community-Level Democracy”, is the latest edition (Volume 5, Issue 2) of HEDA’s Leadership Approval Rating (LAR) series and was officially launched on Wednesday in Lagos.

The survey, conducted in June 2025, sampled 1,428 Nigerians across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

It found that while 87 per cent of respondents correctly identified SIECs as the statutory agencies responsible for local elections, only 45 per cent believed they operate independently of state governors.

“This reveals a critical trust deficit,” said Sulaimon Arigbabu, HEDA’s Executive Secretary, during the launch. “Where independence and transparency are in doubt, legitimacy quickly collapses.”

While explaining the report, Mr Arigbabu lamented that despite high awareness, voter participation remains abysmally low.

He said 69 per cent of respondents admitted they had never voted in any local government election.

He noted that ratings of SIEC performance were similarly dismal—only 44 per cent rated their commissions as “Good” or “Excellent,” while 24 per cent graded them “Poor” or “Very Poor.”