PDP Wins Ibeju-Lekki Re-run Poll
By Maxwell Oditta and Michael Jegede, Lagos

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Okanlawon Soniyi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of Saturday's re-run election in Ibeju-Lekki Federal Constituency of Lagos State.

Soniyi reportedly garnered 8,005 votes, while second-placed Adewale Eletu of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) polled 6,867.

The Action Congress (AC) did not contest the polls.

Appraising the conduct of the election, the PDP, through its state Publicity Secretary, Wale Ahmed, said the election was free and fair except for incidence of ballot box snatching allegedly by AD supporters in some places he considered as PDP stronghold.

Lagos State chairman of AD, Raji Lateef, who was beaten up by thugs while monitoring the voting process, counter-alleged that the hoodlums on ballot-snatching spree were members of the PDP.

The AD has written a petition requesting to the INEC not to accept any results from units where ballots boxes were snatched.

The re-run election held in 11 wards of Ibeju-Lekki was marred by ballot snatching and shooting by hoodlums bent on disrupting the peaceful conduct of the election. Ballot boxes in polling unit 003 and 004 of Isiriwon/Igbekedo ward were snatched by thugs.

The turn-out as observed in some of the polling was poor. There were no elections in some polling centres, while the security situation was tense.

Public Relation Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Frank Mba, said however that more than enough police personnel were deployed to the various polling units.

Also, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Moses Ogbe, said he was impressed that election material arrived early at the various polling units. He promised to look into areas where some form of malpractices occurred.

"Our preparations were in order as at this morning (Saturday). By 6 a.m., we had already got all our materials from the divisional office to this place. And I think the last vehicle that left here was around 7.30. Materials got to the various polling stations on time.

Why are you shocked Crackles?
You shouldn't expect a credible elections from our highly discredited INEC.

up inec. inec is out to win every election. inec is desperate to make nigeria a one party system.
oh, did i say inec? i wanted to say pdp though it is the same thing.

there we go again with our hypocrisy. why is it that whenever PDP wins we attribute it to rigging. all the elections in Lagos so far has been described as credible till it produed an unfavourable outcome to AC. let Tinubu and AC accept defeat for once.

there we go again with our hypocrisy. why is it that whenever PDP wins we attribute it to rigging. all the elections in Lagos so far has been described as credible till it produed an unfavourable outcome to AC. let Tinubu and AC accept defeat for once.

@dedeike,
if what u asked above is a question then the answer is that pdp as a party has proved to nigeria and nigerians that they are nothing but a symbol of rigging.
a normal nigerian will tell u that another name for pdp is rigging.
if you are not doing well as a party, the only way u cld continue winning elections will be rigging.
if after ten (10) yrs in charge pdp has nothing tangible to show, could u please tell nigerians why they will continue winning.
in anambra state, chris uba confessed to have rigged the election to chris ngige a then pdp candidate.
in oyo inec machines were found in the house of another pdp thug(late adedibu), 1999, obj was rigged into power, in 2003, there was no election. in 2007, pdp made us to understand that selection is highly prefered to election. who is in charge? and who choosed him? can u for once tell me in which part of nigeria pdp proved herself worthy of winning even at grassroot level.

The problem is not with pdp perse or inec,the problem is with our society.we need to sanitize the society.ac are hypocrites,let anyone come out and honestly tell me that ac has never and dont rig elections.What really baffles me is this,fayose,atiku,kalu and co while in pdp,they are criminals and riggers but on leaving pdp they turn to angels over night.what a transformation.I think we should stop being sentimental and biased.

@ chidicris
you failed woefully to explain how the PDP victory in IBEJU/LEKKI was obtained by fraud. i would have also been happy to see evidence of how obasanjo's and yar'Adua's elections were rigged. the moment you learn to appreciate the fact that every party in Nigeria has its own fair share of corrupt politicians, the more you will become objective in your comments.