The Forum of Lagos State PDP Local Government Chairmen has vowed to challenge the outcome of Saturday’s council elections in court, alleging subversion of public will.
Adegboyega Adegbesan, the forum’s chairman and PDP leader in Oshodi-Isolo LGA, disclosed this during a joint press conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
The event was held at the PDP secretariat in Lagos Mainland LGA and attended by party chairmen and state chieftains.
“What occurred on Saturday was no election. It was a charade and a criminal conspiracy against the people’s sovereign will,” Mr Adegbesan said.
He declared that the PDP would not recognise the “fraudulent election” or its “alleged winners”, describing the process as deeply compromised and undemocratic.
Mr Adegbesan added that the PDP had compiled video recordings, testimonies, and evidence of irregularities to legally challenge the election and retrieve its stolen mandate.
He accused the APC-led government and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) of colluding to rig the elections through orchestrated violence and manipulation.
According to him, armed thugs brazenly attacked polling units, snatched ballot boxes, and beat voters while security agents and LASIEC officials stood by silently.
“In PDP strongholds across the state, ballot box stuffing occurred on a massive scale. Pre-thumbprinted ballots were delivered in bags,” he said.
He claimed that LASIEC officials either did nothing or aided those trying to legitimise fraudulent votes and suppress genuine voter expression.
“In some LGAs, PDP agents were assaulted, chased away, and denied access to collation centres,” he added.
He stated that figures were crudely manipulated, with votes in some wards exceeding the number of registered voters on record.
“In many areas, election materials arrived late or not at all, and documentation was deliberately incomplete to frustrate PDP supporters and reduce turnout,” he said.
He said LASIEC had lost its moral and constitutional right to act as a neutral electoral umpire, due to widespread irregularities.
Mr Adegbesan called on the National Assembly to protect grassroots democracy and enact policies to stop systemic electoral sabotage in local elections.
“This issue goes beyond PDP. It is about justice, fairness, and the future of democracy in Nigeria.
“If we ignore this injustice, we risk normalising rigging and silencing voters permanently,” he warned.
He declared that the PDP was committed to fighting for electoral integrity and restoring the people’s voice in Lagos governance.
Isiaka Shodiya, PDP chairman in Alimosho LGA, also demanded the scrapping of state electoral commissions to preserve grassroots democracy.
Alade Yusuf, PDP councillorship candidate for Ward F in Yaba LCDA, alleged that no collation occurred at his ward before a result was declared.
“We demand the total cancellation of the Ward F election and a fresh poll with proper security and civil society monitoring,” Mr Yusuf said.
Other aggrieved PDP LGA chairmen and candidates from various councils echoed similar calls for the elections to be nullified.
According to LASIEC, APC won all 57 chairmanship seats and secured 375 of the 376 councillorship positions across the state in Saturday’s election.
(NAN)
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