Eko Hot Blog reports that the Lagos State House of Assembly has congratulated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, on their latest victory at threported earlier that the Court of Appeal struck out petitions brought before it by aggrieved candidates in the March 18 governorship election in the state.
While celebrating the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate’s victory, the Lagos Assembly members expressed their concern regarding the delay in voter registration and the significant number of election cases handled by the Courts of Appeal.
The Clerk of the House, Barrister Olalekan Onafeko, informed the lawmakers that the National Assembly Committee on Electoral Act would be holding a three-day retreat in Lagos.
The registration of voters should be an ongoing process to ensure that more eligible voters can participate, says the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Lasbat-Meranda, who presided over the plenary in place of Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Lasbat-Meranda emphasized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should consider requesting means of identification during the voter registration process to verify the actual places of residence of the electorate.
In addition, Hon. Ajomale Oladipo, the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petition, and LASIEC, highlighted two challenges that the committee should address: the delay in voter registration and post-election legal matters.
Oladipo pointed out that the Appeal Courts are burdened with numerous cases after general elections, resulting in delayed judgments.
He further suggested that the Electoral Act allow state High Courts to handle some of these cases.
On his part, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Noheem Adams, emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the electoral review exercise within the National Assembly. Meanwhile, Hon. Sanni Okanlawon, who represents Kosofe 1, proposed that the Electoral Act include diaspora voting provisions.
Similarly, Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, the representative of Eti-Osa Constituency 2, urged the electoral committee to address instances where individuals are encouraged to vote in areas where they do not reside.
They occupy hotels during elections to sleep and leave for their states of residence after voting. Something should be done to address this,” Yishawu said in the statement signed and made available to journalists by the Media Assistant to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Eromosele Ebhomele.
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