The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday afternoon, began distribution of materials across various wards for the Lagos East Senatorial District by-elections.
At the INEC office in Somolu LGA, The Nation correspondent observed that many accredited electoral officers were seen checking for their various names and place of assignment. Some others were busy receiving and sorting out the election materials received for Saturday’s election while vehicles were also conveying materials out of the office.
Security operatives of the Lagos state police task force were at the premises of the office with their vans visibly stationed at the entrance.
Earlier, the Lagos State police command had announced restriction of movement for the bye-election.
The restriction is between 6am and 6pm.
The Nation correspondent spoke to a handful of electorates in the area, while they expressed readiness to vote in the Saturday polls, they urged the electoral body to conduct a peaceful, free and fair election.
Meanwhile, candidates from 12 political parties will be contesting in the Lagos East Senatorial by-elections while eight candidates will be contesting the Kosofe Constituency II, Lagos State House of Assembly by-elections.
Out of the 12 candidates, two major parties — All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are on the weighing scale in Lagos East Senatorial District. Their candidates for the senatorial by-elections, Tokunbo Abiru and Babatunde Gbadamosi, are set for the race.
The seat became vacant, following the demise of Senator Bayo Osinowo, who spent barely a year in the National Assembly.
Lagos East comprises five local government areas namely; Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Kosofe, Somolu and Ikorodu. The electoral body had earlier stated that 1,168,790 voters will be participating in the Lagos East bye-elections.
The contestants for the senatorial election are Muyiwa Adebanjo, Action Alliance (AA); Ms Mercy Adeoye, African Action Congress (AAC) and John Kome, African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Others are Adebowale Ogunlaru, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Adetokunbo Abiru, All Progressives Congress (APC); Olusola Babatope, Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Mrs Florence Trautman, Labour Party (LP) and Ms Adijat Lawal, New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The rest are Babatunde Gbadamosi, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Olakunle Adisa, National Rescue Movement (NRM); Saheed Aluko, Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Taiwo Temitope, Young Progressive Party (YPP).
