By Giwa SHILE
Mr Owolabi Salis, the governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Lagos State, says he will accept the results of the governorship election if it remains free and fair.
Salis spoke with newsmen on Saturday, after casting his vote with his wife at Ward 3, Polling Unit 064, Atunrase Estate Phase II, in Gbagada, Kosofe Local Government Area.
Voting started late at the polling unit as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials arrived three hours late, at 11am, before commencing the exercise at 11.45a.m.
The electoral officials attributed the delay to inadequate transport logistics and a protest by ad-hoc staff of INEC at the Kosofe Local Government Council.
Salis told newsmen that the election generally had been adjudged to be peaceful in parts of Lagos, except in Mushin and Ogudu, where he alleged that there were issues.
“In my polling unit, there has not been incidence of ballot snatching and vote buying; they are elites who have conducted themselves in a peaceful manner.
“Though, I cannot talk about other places but on the field, information reaching me is that the election so far has been free and fair.
”However, my concern is that at the collation centres, if there are obvious cases of fraudulent practices, I will contest this election in court,” he said.
The candidate lamented the low turnout of voters across the state, which he noted was not the best for the growth of democracy in Nigeria.
He said that out of 777, 000 registered voters in Alimosho Area of Lagos, less than 11 per cent came out to vote in the last presidential and national assembly election on Feb. 23.
He also advised President Muammadu Buhari to close the inequality gap between the rich and the poor in the country during his second term.
According to him, inequality is a threat to economic growth, health, education, among other things.——NAN
