Exactly one year after a landmark Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy in Nigeria, 7,060,195 registered voters in Lagos State, Nigeria’s economic nerve centre and revenue powerhouse, head to the polls on Saturday, July 12, 2025, to elect their preferred representatives into chairmanship, vice-chairmanship and councillorship positions across the 20 local government areas (LGAs) and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.
Politically, Lagos is of keen interest to many Nigerians, being the home state of President Bola Tinubu, who once ruled the state as governor for eight years (1999-2007) and who is reckoned by many as the ‘Jagaban of Bourdillon’ or the godfather of Lagos politics.
Lagos, located in the Southwest zone of Nigeria, houses over 20 million residents and stands tall as the country’s internally generated revenue leader, generating ₦1.3 trillion in revenue in 2024.
The state is home to the headquarters of most financial institutions, telecoms companies, international oil companies, international and local airports, seaports, as well as the hub of phone markets, wares, among others.
As politicians jostle to occupy much-coveted public offices across the state, on Saturday, the process will be overseen by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
Whilst the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) organises federal and state elections, the state electoral commission handles local government polls.
LASIEC Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile, told Channels Television this week that no political party was restrained from participating in the elections. Data from the body shows that 15 out of the 19 registered political parties in the country have been confirmed for the chairmanship, vice chairmanship and councillorship positions in the 20 LGAs and the 37 LCDAs in the state.
Will APC’s Dominance Continue?
During the last local government polls on July 24, 2021, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) swept all the chairmanship seats in all the 20 LGAs and the 37 LCDAs in the state and won 375 of the 377 councillorship seats across the state at the time.
But opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have vowed to challenge APC dominance in the elections.
According to data by the state electoral umpire, Lagosians with Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) would elect their preferred representatives in 13,325 polling units across the 376 wards spread across the state.
The local governments are Agege, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Alimosho, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Ifako-Ijaiye, Ikeja, Ikorodu, Kosofe, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Mushin, Ojo, Oshodi-Isolo, Shomolu, and Surulere.
The LCDAs are Orile Agege, Ifelodun, Agbado-Oke Odo, Ayobo-Ipaja, Egbe-Idimu, Mosan-Okunola, Oriade, Apapa Iganmu, Olorunda, Badagry West, Eredo, Ikosi-Ejirin, Ikoyi-Obalende, Iru/Victoria Island, Lekki, Ojokoro, Onigbongbo, Ojodu, Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Ijede, Imota, Ikorodu North, Ikorodu West, Agboyi-Ketu, Ikosi-Isheri, Lagos Island East, Yaba, Odi-Olowo, Iba, Oto-Awori, Ejigbo, Isolo, Bariga, Coker-Aguda, and Itire-Ikate.
One of the persons of interest in the election is Abdulganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, who is contesting the vice-chairmanship seat of Agege LGA.
Group Doubts LASIEC’s Autonomy
Meanwhile, civic group Enough Is Enough has raised concerns about the state electoral commission’s readiness and commitment to transparent and lawful elections.
In a statement, the group’s chief, Opeyemi Adamolekun, said LASIEC failed to adequately publicise the election, the late release of the validated candidates’ list, and violated the Electoral Act 2022 in fixing the election date, among others.
“LASIEC’s commitment to delivering a free, fair, and credible election is questionable given widespread concerns over transparency and due process.
“The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), comprising all 19 registered political parties in Lagos, condemned LASIEC’s unilateral release of guidelines without consulting political stakeholders, which violates established democratic norms.
“This lack of consultation extends to civil society organisations, who have also noted a concerning secrecy surrounding the process and an unwillingness to communicate and engage,” the group said.
