Anayo Ezugwu 
The Lagos State House of Assembly has invited key officials of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) to appear before the House in relation to the upcoming local government election scheduled for July.
The decision followed a motion raised under Matter of Urgent Public Importance by the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, and LASIEC, Oladipo Ajomale.
Ajomale expressed concern that, although LASIEC had released its guidelines for the conduct of the elections, the information provided was vague and lacked critical details necessary for public understanding and legislative oversight.
He urged the House to summon LASIEC officials to provide adequate clarification and ensure transparency in order to assure Lagosians of a free and fair election.
Supporting the motion, the Deputy Majority Leader, Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, emphasized that it was only fair for the House to be properly informed of the Commission’s plans.
He echoed the need for the Commission’s leadership to appear before the House for a comprehensive briefing.
Meanwhile, Bonu Solomon raised concerns over the lack of adequate public enlightenment in LASIEC’s guidelines, noting that this could undermine the credibility of the election process.
Other lawmakers also stressed the need for clarity on various aspects of the Commission’s preparations—particularly issues related to security, engagement of ad-hoc staff, and voter education.
The Speaker, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, who presided over the plenary, affirmed the importance of a thorough briefing from LASIEC.
He noted that such engagement was vital to ensuring a free, fair, and credible local government election in Lagos State.
He subsequently directed the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, and LASIEC to invite the key officials and report its findings without delay.
In a separate development, the House adopted the recommendation of the Committee on Local Government Administration, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Rural Development as the resolution of the House.
This followed the presentation of a report on a petition titled “Request for Review of Unlawful Appointment and Disregard for a Valid Law of the Lagos State House of Assembly.”
Following the adoption, Speaker Obasa directed the Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, to forward the resolution to the appropriate authorities.
