Lagos local council elections marred by heavy downpour *As some residents defied the rain to cast their votes

Heavy downpour which started since 5 a.m Saturday morning, has disrupted the local council elections which held today in the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas in the State.

Though some voters turned out for the council elections in spite of an unfavourable weather in demonstration of patriotism and contribution to democratic development.

News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the rain, accompanied with thunderstorms, began in Lagos at 5.00a.m. and lasted for more than two hours before subsiding in many areas.

The showers, however, returned after some time, drenching some voters who defied it to cast their votes in many areas, while others found shades to avoid such experience as they waited to have their turn.

At Okota Isolo axis, our correspondent reports low turn out of voters due largely to the downpour. Voting in many polling booths did not start until 10am.

Some children were also seen playing football on some tarred roads while some residents sat in front of their houses discussing the elections.

However, the turn out of voters was impressive at poling booth 012 and 013 at Okota. There was tight security while police vehicles with siren blaring were seen on the roads.

The turnout was also low at Orile Agege local council development area. After the rain subsided a little, some residents came out to vote. They commended the peaceful nature of the election and the performance of LASIEC.

At Egbeda in Alimosho Local Government Area, residents of Ademola Street insisted on the provision of 4 polling booths for the area and when only three were provided by LASIEC officials, some angry residents prevented others from voting.

Some voters in Surulere, Ebute Meta, Ikotun and some other parts of the state said that they believed that their votes would count.

Forty-five-year-old Mrs Monsurat Adebayo, disclosed at Polling Unit 006 on Raufu Williams Road, Surulere that she had been looking forward to voting in the elections.

Adebayo said: “I used to live in this neighbourhood and have moved to another, but I had to drive down here to cast my vote as a patriotic Nigerian.

“I also intend to go and talk to my friends in the neighbourhood to come out to vote.

“I am impressed that some people turned out for the polls in spite of the rain. I am also happy that voting is peaceful.“

A 27-year-old student, Mr Seun Dosunmu, also said that he was determined to vote for credible candidates for a better future. “I hope the whole exercise turns out successful,“ he told NAN.

A trader, Mrs Zainab Belly, who has lived for 20 years in Ward 5, Itire-Ikate LCDA, said that she was happy to vote to contribute to the grow of democracy.

“I see no reason why today’s election should be violent because we had been waiting for it.

“We are peaceful people living in this area; we want the best for our council area and the whole state,” she said.

An electrician, Mr John Ahmed, said that he had also been looking forward to voting for the candidate of his choice who, he said, would develop the area.

At a polling unit located at St. Peter’s Anglican Primary school on Apapa Road in Ebute Meta, delayed arrival of electoral officers and materials made some male residents desiring to cast their votes to resort to football playing.

They said that they would wait to cast their votes to demonstrate their patriotism.

In Ikorodu, Mr Sanai Agunbiade, Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly commended the electorate for coming out in spite the rain.

Agunbiade encouraged the youths to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice, as the process was to develop the communities and grassroots.

He cast his vote around 11:00am at Ward F in Ikorodu central.