LG Polls: Street empty as voting commences at Gov. Sanwo-Olu’s polling unit, Adeniji Adele

Voting commenced early Saturday at the polling unit of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, located at Ward E3, St. Stevens Nursery and Primary School, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, even as the surrounding streets remained largely deserted.

Electoral officers from the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) arrived at the polling unit a few minutes after 8:00 a.m., signaling the start of the Local Government Elections across the state.

According to a LASIEC official who spoke with Vanguard, voting began shortly after their arrival, although turnout was initially low. “We started voting a few minutes past 8 a.m., and everything is going on smoothly. We are expecting more voters to arrive as the day progresses,” the official stated.

Despite the commencement of voting in some areas, several parts of Lagos, including Agege, Ikeja, and Ikoyi, were yet to see full electoral activity as of 8:15 a.m., with reports indicating delays in the arrival of polling officials.

Streets across the city remained largely empty, in line with the restriction of movement order imposed for the election. Security personnel—including the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)—were stationed at strategic locations and patrolling major routes to enforce compliance.

Some residents were seen walking to their destinations unbothered, while others took advantage of the quiet atmosphere to play football on empty streets.

Business activities were largely suspended, with shops, markets, and filling stations shut. However, essential workers, including medical personnel and waste management staff, continued to carry out their duties.

The Local Government Elections across Lagos are being conducted to elect chairmen and councillors in the state’s 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas. Governor Sanwo-Olu, expected to cast his vote at the Adeniji Adele polling unit, has yet to arrive as of the time of filing this report.