Benjamin Olabinjo, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ifako-Ijaye Constituency, casting his vote in during the Local Government election on Saturday in Lagos.
A lawmaker, Rep. Benjamin Adeyemi Olabinjo, on Saturday lauded the conduct of the local government elections in Lagos, dismissing claims of voter apathy.
Olabinjo, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ifako-Ijaye Constituency, told newsmen at a polling unit that personnel of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) performed commendably.
He said that they arrived early with voting materials and with security officers.
He lauded the efficient management of the electoral process.
In his message to the incoming chairperson of the local government, Olabinjo urged that the incoming executives build upon the achievements of previous administrations.
“My advice to the incoming chairman is that he or she should emulate what he met on ground.
“I must say that since the creation of this local government, we have served and have been doing our best, and the record is there.
“People can go around and see what we’ve done. So, I want him or her to do better than what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker emphasised the importance of continuity and the need for all local government officials to work diligently for the good of the community.
Olabinjo recalled the significant increase in the number of functional roads within the local government during his tenure as chairman.
Addressing the issue of political coalitions witnessed in recent months, the lawmaker described it as a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy.
“Any government that doesn’t have anybody to criticise them, one way or the other, that government will not function very well.
“It is because the more they attack you, the more you have more strength and the more you do good things for the community and the people,” he added.
Also, the outgoing Chairman of Ijaiye/Ojokoro Local Government Area, Mr Hammed Tijani, commended the LASEIC for its conduct of the local council elections.
Speaking after casting his vote in Ojokoro, the chairman noted that the electoral process had been peaceful across various polling units he had visited.
Tijani also lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Police and other security agencies for their significant deployment of personnel to ensure order at the polling stations.
The outgoing chairman specifically praised the residents of Ojokoro for their peaceful and orderly participation in the civic exercise.
He highlighted the developmental strides of his party during his tenure, expressing confidence that the electorate were aware of their performance.
Similarly, the APC candidate of the council, Barr. Oluyemisi Rosiji, said that there were early indications of a commendable voter turnout.
Rosiji expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise and commended the promptness of LASEIC.
She also noted the significant turnout of voters, attributing it to increased awareness among citizens regarding the importance of exercising their civic rights during elections.
The APC candidate observed a marked difference in attitude compared to previous elections, where some individuals preferred to remain at home.
Rosiji emphasised her commitment to ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach the people.
She outlined key areas of focus, including infrastructure development such as roads and drainages, improved healthcare services, and comprehensive empowerment programmes for youths and women.
She also pledged to foster a transparent and accountable government that truly served the interests of the populace.
Rosiji said that the essence of democracy was that “it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” (NAN)