As the Lagos State local government elections unfolded on Saturday, a striking image dominated the streets: football matches, not voters. Youths across several parts of the state commandeered major roads, converting them into makeshift football pitches, while polling units stood largely deserted.
From Agege Motor Road to Alimosho, Iyana-Ipaja, and even the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent counted no fewer than 14 such football pitches.
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EKO HOT BLOG gathered that the convoy of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) Chairman, Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (rtd.), was forced to stop multiple times to allow young people to remove goalposts they had set up in the middle of the road.
Between Mushin and Bolade-Oshodi, at least nine road-side pitches were observed. In some cases, the games were happening right next to military checkpoints. At Oyewole High School in Orile-Agege LCDA, 60 youths were playing football, but only 21 people had voted at two of the school’s three polling units, despite a combined register of 1,240 voters.
The LASIEC Chairman had earlier said that the commission had undertaken public sensitisation campaigns, even going as far as releasing balloon aircraft with messages urging residents to vote. Yet turnout was dismal across the state.
In Alausa, Ikeja, seat of the state government, the picture was no different. Between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., peak election hours, youths were found at three different spots playing football instead of casting ballots.
For Ayomikun Ola, the choice was deliberate. “You can’t force me to vote. I chose to play ball, and why will I vote?” he asked, reflecting the sense of disconnect many young people feel toward the political process.
Opeyemi Omoemi put it more bluntly: “We all know that it’s the APC that wins all, as usual. So there is no need for me to disturb myself.”
Others had different reasons. Wasiu simply said, “Bro, there is no need. I am satisfied with the football than the vote.” Bayo added, “I haven’t clocked 18, that’s why I didn’t vote. The best is to play football.”
Even those not playing, like shopkeeper Seriki Ganiyat, echoed similar disengagement. “It’s not necessary. I have children to feed… What will my children eat this night?” she said, highlighting the economic trade-offs many residents face when choosing between civic duty and daily survival.
Polling data underscores the magnitude of the problem. At PU 003, Ward 7, only 61 out of 1,000 registered voters had reportedly voted by 1:05 p.m. PU 007 in the same ward had 30 votes out of 1,000; PU 031 recorded just four votes from 29 registered voters. In Ward F, PU 011 saw 45 of 908 registered voters cast ballots. At PU 085, no votes had been recorded by 1:45 p.m.
These numbers are more than just statistical anomalies, they signal a growing crisis of legitimacy in Nigeria’s democratic process. Local government, often considered the closest tier of government to the people, is suffering from chronic disengagement. The fact that this was witnessed in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital and political bellwether, raises concerns for the future.
The recurring theme, whether it’s mistrust in the outcome, as Omoemi implied, or economic indifference, as Ganiyat expressed, speaks to a structural failure in how democratic participation is framed and rewarded. LASIEC’s balloon campaign and media outreach could not compete with lived realities of cynicism, fatigue, and survival.
FURTHER READING
If Nigeria’s youth, who constitute over 70% of the population, are already opting out of civic engagement at the grassroots, what does this portend for the upcoming general election in 2027? Saturday’s events offer a stark warning: without trust, transparency, and tangible benefits tied to participation, the ballot will continue to lose to the ball.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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