Concerned Citizens of Lagos State have called for accountability and transparency in the governance of the state.
The group also advised the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to shun undemocratic tendencies and allow democracy to flourish.
The group, in an open letter signed by its president, Omoba Murphy Ajibola, also demanded that Hon. The state chapter of the Cornelius Ojelabi-led party must not interfere in the electoral process and allow the State Assembly to select and confirm members of the State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) for the commencement of preparations for the local government elections .
The letter, titled “Open Letter to the Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, A Call to Action: Demand for Accountability in Lagos State Governance,” read in part: “ Specifically, we disagree with the refusal of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA) to examine and consider the names of members of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), which, unfortunately, was directly influenced for the leadership of the APC under the auspices of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC).
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The most worrying is the letter sent by the APC State Chairman to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly (LAHA), to ignore any commitment to respect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all existing laws, which clearly mandates that electoral processes must be transparent and timely, specifically, that notice of elections must be given at least 180 days in advance and in this case this must occur no later than December 26, 2024 if the state government is serious and the choice of LG.”
The group urged Lagosians to unite against tyrants, while maintaining that Lagos is not a one-party state.
“Lagos State is not a one-party state and APC leaders must accept this fact. LASIEC, like the Lagos State House of Assembly, is an independent body and should not be treated as a mere appendage of the ruling party. The citizens of Lagos deserve to live in a state where their voices matter, where their vote counts and where they are not subject to the whims of any political party.
Let us stand united as vigilant citizens, demanding transparency, rule of law and effective governance. We deserve to have our voices heard and our rights respected. Now is the time to act for the future of Lagos State, where all citizens can prosper in a true democracy,” it reads.