There was unrest on Saturday at Polling Unit 027 in Yaya Abatan, Ogba, located in the Ifako-Ijaiye area of Lagos State, after a Labour Party agent, Spencer Dominic, was assaulted during the local government elections.

The incident reportedly happened just before the APC chairmanship candidate, Usman Akanbi Hamzat, arrived at the scene to cast his vote.

According to Daily Trust, Eyewitnesses said the problem started when the Labour Party agent stood behind electoral officials, saying he wanted to observe the voter cards of those coming to vote. Some APC supporters objected to his position and told him to move away. When he refused, they allegedly attacked him, dragged him out, and slapped him — all while security personnel nearby did not intervene.

Peace was eventually restored by concerned people at the polling unit who stepped in to calm the situation.

Speaking after the incident, the LP agent said he was only trying to ensure the voting process was fair. “I stayed behind the electoral officers, watching the people coming to vote to confirm their voter cards. When the chairman came and asked me to leave the place, I said no, that I needed to view the voter cards of the people. Then, the APC people started beating me,” Spencer said.

Responding to the situation, an APC official, Gbenga Adebowale, defended the actions of the APC supporters. He said the LP agent was in the wrong for standing in a restricted area.

According to Adebowale, “The chairman of the council is the existing chairman, and by virtue of that, if he wants to join the queue, nobody should question him. You, as an agent, are now asking him for his voter card? That is unacceptable. There are rules guiding agent conduct; you are not supposed to be behind the electoral officers. That position can incite trouble.”

Overall, the local elections across Lagos recorded low voter turnout, with many polling stations seeing only a few participants. (Daily Trust)