The turnout of voters at Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s Polling Unit, PU06, Eiyekole, Adeniji Adele, Lagos State was low as at the 10am on Saturday, 18th March for the Lagos 2023 Governorship election.
Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the incumbent governor of Lagos state.
Small crowds and empty seats could be seen in the videos that have gone viral.
Later on, some party supporters, according to viral video, started distributing food believed at same unit.
A good APC member have clarified that the food is just for supporters and not for vote buying.
“All the people sitting and taking the food over there are APC supporters, they are all going to vote for APC.
Nothing like buying of votes there.”
Around 11am Sanwo-Olu came with the crowd and cast his vote at the St Stephen Primary School, Eyekole, Adeniji-Adele area of the state.
Also, President-elect, Bola Tinubu and his wife Remi have cast their votes, expectedly in support of Sanwo-Olu.
Tinubu’s presence may help this time as the last was disappointing to APC.
Tinubu performed his civic right at his polling unit in Alausa, Ikeja area of Lagos State.
Meanwhile, Governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has cast his vote at polling unit 045 Anifowoshe Ikeja area of the state.
Earlier, he tweeted;
“Today, A noble man, led by God, will restore the glory of Lagos, He will bring the crown home and live up to his names.
Eko ATI Dide, #ourlagos is ready,
To God be the glory for this historic victory.”
Mr Gbadebo is one of the frontline candidate for the election and he will be facing off against the incumbent Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressive Congress and Mr. Abdul-Azeez Adediran of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The election is expected to be keenly contested following the victory of Labour Party in Lagos state in the presidential election.
Rhodes-Vivour has emerged as a popular candidate whose message has resonated with the teeming youths who are the backbone behind the unexpected rise of the Labour Party.
Electoral Violence and Intimidation
Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour have also raised alarm over the alleged voters intimidation in the ongoing governorship and House of Assembly elections.
He said the reign of people allegedly holding the state to ransom will end after the outcome of today’s elections.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after casting his vote at polling unit 045 Oshifila Anifowoshe, Ikeja, Gbadebo vowed that the intimidation would be resisted.
He said there have been widespread reports of voters’ intimidation in Kosofe, Iba in Ojo, VGC in Lekki, Comupter Village in Ikeja, among others.
He said, “We are dealing with this in our situation room with the security agencies to ensure that we resist all this.
“It is very unfortunate that Lagos State has been under the rule of people that only bring about thuggery and violence every four years. By God’s grace, by the end of today, their reign and chuckhole on Lagos will end.”
Rhodes-Vivour also dismissed report that he has been replaced as the candidate of LP, describing the letter trending online as nonsense.
He expressed confidence that he would win the election and that Labour Party would form the next government in Lagos State.
Finally, despite restriction of movement, a long queue of travelers have been stopped by military personnel on the Sagamu – Abeokuta expressway, this morning.
As at am some of the travelers have left their vehicles to lay on the road divider in protest against their strandedness.
It was observed that many of the motorists who were tanker drivers were not allowed to pass due to the restriction order imposed over the ongoing governorship and state assembly elections.
A driver, Wasiu Adeniji, said they have been on the road since 1:25am.
There are more presence of the military personnel and other security agencies at different roadblocks in the state against what was seen during the Presidential election and National Assembly election.
