THE initial protests that trailed the conduct of the council polls in Lagos State have died down. The outbursts of complaints and protests finally thinned down as the other political parties backed down and opted for other options.And suddenly, the case of other parties against the victory of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the council polls took a different dimension. The state chapter of the African Renaissance Party (ARP) urged the Federal Government to consider withholding the Lagos State council funds.This the party claimed is necessary to calm the nerves hurt by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) in the conduct of the council election. The ARP added that the funds should only be released after all cases regarding the polls are concluded at the electoral tribunals.In a statement, the National Chairman of the ARP, Chief Udoka Udeogaranya stated that 'it has become imperative for the Federal Government to employ some severe measures to forestall any breakdown of law and order, while withholding the Lagos State local government council funds. This certainly will put all parties to the election at peace.'The ARP leader noted that a 'one party government remains a government of dictatorship with full attributes of dictatorial diseases that consumes democracy and democratic rights of the people.'Despite the unprecedented massive protest in the nomination process of the ACN leading to the October 22, 2011 council elections, the party went on as though nothing had happened and the very same act of imposition, manipulation, dictatorship and high handedness appears to be the state government's code of conduct.'It is now left to the Federal Government to take measures and call the state to order as a reminder that Lagos is still part and parcel of a free Nigeria, where subversion of peoples will through the manipulation of ballot papers or electoral processes should not be tolerated.'After the protests on Monday when the supporters of the Lagos chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took to the streets to challenge the results declared by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), the presence of a combined team of armed police and military officers parading some areas in the state kept protesters at bay. At the LASIEC headquarters at Sabo, yesterday there were no traces of the incident of Monday when angry supporters of PDP besieged the place calling for the cancellation of the results.The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Yakubu Alkali and Commandant Knight Brigade, Ikeja Cantonment, Brig.-Gen. Sanusi Muazu promised to put necessary measures to prevent any breakdown of law and order in the state.While Alkali confirmed that some arrests were made, Mu'azu assured that, 'the police and the military personnel would continue to put measures in place to ensure peace.'However, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Taofik Gani refuted the allegations that the party members staged any protest. According to him, 'sympathisers of the party who voted with that assurance the PDP would win in certain areas were those that organised and participated in the protests.'In a statement yesterday, Gani said PDP had decided to tow the legal path and contest the result of the council polls in the tribunal. He said that, 'LASIEC Chairman, retired Justice Abdul-Fatai Adeyinka on Monday night announced that the ACN won in the 20 local government areas of the state and in 355 out of the 377 wards in the state. This is contrary to Sections 51(1)-(8) of the LASIEC LAW.'The LASIEC Chairman however said that the PDP won in 18 wards with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) winning in two wards.He noted that the release of the result came 24 hours after the LASIEC returning Officer in Badagry Central announced the PDP as winner of the chairmanship slot for the area.Addressing journalists on the decision of the party to head to court, the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Setonji koshoedo said that, 'LASIEC chairman is not empowered legally to announce results. According to sections 51 and 52 of LASIEC Law, the Chairman of the Commission has no legal right to announce the results.'Even if he had to announce, as a retired Judge of Lagos State, the LASIEC Chairman, should not have announced different results when there are video coverage and documents of announcements of results by the returning officers of the commission.'Koshoedo said that the announced result was a gross injustice, unprogressive, undemocratic and a slap on the faces of voters in Lagos. He claimed that 'our party won in at least four of the local government areas and in 125 wards that we have the result signed by LASIEC officials and ACN agents in the various polling units.'The PDP Chairman however appealed to party supporters and members to remain calm, assuring that justice will prevail in the end.The PDP found support from its one time governorship candidate in the state and now the Nigerian Ambassador to Ghana, Senator Musliu Obanikoro. While Obanikoro condemned the result, he said that he lacked faith in the Election Petition Tribunals giving justice to the PDP.According to him, 'since LASIEC could act the way it did, any other body set up by the state over the election, especially the Local Government Election Tribunal, cannot give justice.'He said however that it is the party's decision to go through the due process of the tribunal set up by the state. 'In the end we will go through any other processes legally available for us to explore until justice is served,' he said.In another development, the State Chairman of the All Nigeria People Party (ANPP), Alhaji Kabir Oriowo said the party would go to court to challenge some of the results 'because LASIEC deliberately did not validate its candidates, whom it considered strong and popular in LCDAs to defeat the incumbent chairman and the ACN candidate.'Oriowo said other parties are free to react to the result in whatever way that they deemed appropriate but 'ANPP has not staged or participated in any demonstration. We are going through the normal legal means to air our objection to the election.'Meanwhile, former governor of Lagos and a national leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu warned those elected on the platform of the ACN that it was 'time to celebrate less and get back to work.'Tinubu also put the PDP and other parties on notice saying: 'ACN would challenge some councillorship results.' He however added that it would be at the tribunal as it always does and not in the streets, therefore advising all other aggrieved parties to toe that line, as provided by the law.'It is all about service and the people have made their choice on the persons they wish to govern them and the progressive platform on which they can realise their democratic yearnings' Tinubu said. 'The people have demonstrated that they have faith in us and in our party; and what we stand for and believe in.'Stressing the need to follow due process, he cautioned against any aggrieved party resorting to self-help as he noted that 'we understand the desperation of some of their leaders around here who want to make a point to impress Abuja and continue to collect resources from Abuja. We know it is all about a financial war chest towards the 2015 elections. But we must put our people first in all we do, and must not sacrifice their interest in destructive politics.'He said the ACN was not a party of desperate politicians but a party of stable governance and ideology. 'Lagosians know their true leaders and will not be intimidated. They are ready to follow the party that is transforming Lagos. We make no claim that we can do it all at once as a party. Neither do we claim that every council area can perform at the same speed and standard. All we say in our party is that we will always give it our best shot and try not to disappoint our people.
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