The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Kazeem Bello, as the winner of the councillorship by-election, held on Saturday at Ward A (Obele/Oniwala) in Surulere Local Government Area of Lagos State.
While announcing the result of the by-election, Mr. Olusola Ibikunle, the Returning Officer, declared Mr. Kazeem Bello, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner, having scored 793 votes while his only opponent, Mr. Abdulateef Bolaji Sanni, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, scored 195 votes.
There are 11,095 registered voters in the ward.
Speaking to newsmen after monitoring the by-election, Hon. Olusegun Ayedun, an Electoral Commissioner of the Commission in charge of the zone where the by-election was conducted, expressed disappointment at the low voters’ turn-out, noting, however, that the development was a nation-wide problem which needed to be tackled.
He, therefore, enjoined leaders of political parties to redouble their efforts in encouraging eligible registered members of the public to participate in the electoral process by casting their votes during elections, stressing that the Commission was also working hard in this regard.
Ayedun commended security personnel on election duty for “doing a good job”, adding that the conduct of the by-election was peaceful.
Also addressing newsmen on the by-election, Mr. Sesan Ogundeko, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, stated that the Commission adequately prepared for the by-election in terms of the training of the election personnel, their deployment as well as in terms of the deployment of materials required for the exercise.
Ogundeko had expressed the hope that with the level of preparation of the Commission for the by-election, there would be at least 50 percent voters turn-out by the end of the period of the by-election.
It would be recalled that following the death of the Councillor representing the area, Mr. Razak Bello, the Commission had, in compliance with the provisions of the law issued a Notice of Bye-Election and Election Guidelines during an interactive forum held with stakeholders on April 10.
