…as chairmanship election is inconclusive
…re-run holds a week later
By Okosun Dennis
After weeks of painstaking electioneering process by all the aspirants and the Electoral Commission to enthrone a democratic ethos, Lekki Atlantic Gardens (LAGRA), Alabeko on Saturday, held its general election to elect Executives into offices that would manage the administration of the estate in the next two years.
The election which was held at the Secretariat, Road 1, Alabeko saw the residents and tenants trooped out in large numbers to cast their votes for candidates of their choice, in addition to some diaspora residents who had the opportunity, for the first time, to cast their votes through the online portal.
The polls which opened about 9 am was rounded off by 12noon. The process was peaceful devoid of rancour and acrimonious situation as residents were accredited and issued ballot papers to cast their votes.
Unfortunately, however, the emergence of a new Chairman was short-lived as the election couldn’t produce a new chairman as there was a tie.
According to the LAGIEC chairman, Dr. Adeyemi Adelakan while addressing the candidates and voters who had stood by, anxiously waiting for the outcomes of the election, said it became obvious that after sorting and counting the votes, a winner couldn’t emerge in the chairman election.
Results of the polls indicated that the two Chairmanship candidates, Pastor Fisayo Sogbola scored 36 votes both in the physical and online votes while Mr. Benjamin Akunwa scored 38 in both respectively. Three ballots were voided.
However, there were some votes that were tracked as agents of all the candidates mutually agreed that they should be nullified since they were going to swing the election results.
From the standpoint of that decision coupled with the stands of the LAGIEC, who particularly objected to the inclusion of those votes it was gathered, the six votes were eliminated hence the votes were reduced and Pastor Fisayo Sogbola scored 35 and Benjamin Akunwa scored 33 votes.
Besides, considering that the number of voided votes were more than the number with which the winning candidate led, it became axiomatic that the result couldn’t hold sway and was declared inconclusive, paving way for a re-run slated to hold next week at a convenient date yet to be fixed by LAGIEC.
However, other positions contested for were won without any contradiction devoid of contestable ambiguity. For the Vice Chairmanship position, Mr. Emmanuel Nwokporo dusted his opponent scoring 41 votes to beat his closest rival Mr. Obaa Onjewu who scored 33 votes.
The Treasurer position went to Mr. Akintunde Abiodun who polled 72 votes; the Public Relations Officer (PRO) was won by Olukayode who emerged with 69 votes cast while the post of Welfare Officer went to Mr. Mbachu Chimezie with 74 vote cast from both physical and online votes.
Reacting to the outcome of the election, Mr. Benjamin Akunwa, one of the Chairmanship aspirants said, “I wouldn’t comment now, maybe later today.”
On his part, Pastor Fisayo Sogbola expressed joy with the result of the election but intoned: “We could have done better considering that some votes were voided. I could have won the election. However, the electoral commission has been fair anyway, just as their fairness wasn’t fair to me anyway. I implore the electorates to leverage on the opportunity for the re-run to vote massively for me,” he emphasized.
The Chairman of the Lekki Atlantic Gardens Independent Electoral Commission (LAGIEC), Dr. Adeyemi Adelakan prior to the commencement of the voting process had earlier explained the modalities and modus operandi of the elections to the electorates before being accredited to vote.
Shortly after voting, one of the Chairmanship candidates Pastor Fisayo Sogbola, who bore his mind to our correspondent commended the peaceful conduct of the election noting that he has 100% chances of winning the election.
Similarly, Benjamin Akunwa, another Chairmanship candidate said, “There is a level playing field. I am joyed by the level of participation. I am very confident that I am going to win at the end of the day.
After the declaration of the vote, in his reaction to the outcome as LAGIEC Chairman, Dr. Adeyemi explained that “What we have done is successful. People voted online for the first time in this estate election on a verified platform. It is unfortunate that we didn’t have a winner today.
“Again those that want to vote online, have the opportunity to participate. The whole idea is not to disenfranchise anyone or prevent anybody. If there is a re-run, on all grounds, they have the right to participate in the process. However, we would put a letter out today on the modalities, timetable so that people are guided on the way forward,” he reiterated.
On how he wished to perfect the process to avoid a repeat of today’s election, he added that “we need to go back and re-examine the outcome. There is need for improvement. We knew our process was very clear for everybody to see,” he concluded.
A resident who spoke anonymously said the election was “cool and calm” except we hadn’t the emergence of a chairmanship candidate. He called on the residents to use the opportunity of the re-run to vote for the candidate of their choice.
https://any.peopleandpowermag.com/lagra-elections-ends-peacefully/
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