By Our Reporter As preparations intensify for the July 12 Local Government Elections in Lagos State, a heated controversy is brewing betwee...
By Our Reporter
As preparations intensify for the July 12 Local Government Elections in Lagos State, a heated controversy is brewing between the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Badagry.
Barrister Abayomi Noah Medemaku, the PDP Chairmanship Candidate for Badagry Local Government, has issued a strongly-worded letter to LASIEC, accusing the electoral body of attempting to alter its own rules midway into the election process.
In the letter by Badagry Today, titled "LASIEC Cannot Change the Position of the Goalpost After the Match Has Begun", Medemaku slammed the commission for what he described as an illegal and ill-timed reinterpretation of its official guidelines—particularly the controversial requirement of a “Sponsor’s Voter Registration Card” as a precondition for candidate qualification.
According to Medemaku, LASIEC’s official election guideline—which remains published on its website and visibly posted at its Yaba headquarters—clearly listed the submission of a “Sponsor’s Voter Registration Card” as one of the mandatory documents for candidates. But in a sudden twist, the commission allegedly backtracked, now insisting that what it actually meant was the “Nominator’s Voter Registration Card”—an entirely different legal requirement that was not captured in the original directive.
“By law, the sponsor of any political candidate is a political party—not an individual. So how can a political party possess a voter’s card?” Medemaku queried. “This requirement, on its face, is not just invalid, it is impossible. And now, rather than admit the error, LASIEC is trying to sneak in a correction without formally amending the guideline or notifying stakeholders. That is not only wrong—it is shameful.”
Medemaku, a lawyer and academic with multiple degrees in law and political science, did not mince words about the implications of LASIEC’s actions. He described the commission’s conduct as “illegal,” particularly disappointing given that it is led by a retired judge, Justice Omobolanle Abidemi Okikiolu-Ighile
He added, “We know for a fact that Justice Ighile, when she was sitting on the bench, would never have tolerated such a deliberate misrepresentation from any lawyer in her courtroom. LASIEC owes it to Lagosians to uphold the highest standards of transparency, legality, and fairness.”
The PDP candidate further warned that any attempt by LASIEC to disqualify PDP candidates on the basis of this contested requirement would be resisted both legally and politically.
“If this flawed and invalid request is used to screen out any candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, we will not hesitate to seek redress in court. We will have a full day in court—and we are fully prepared.”
He ended the letter with a clear message to the Commission: “A stitch in time saves nine.”
The development adds another layer of tension to what is already shaping up to be a fiercely contested local government election across Lagos. In Badagry, where the political stakes are high, many residents and observers will be watching closely to see how LASIEC responds in the days ahead.
For now, the PDP is standing its ground—and is prepared to fight the battle all the way to the courtroom, if necessary.
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