Elections: I am optimistic of APC’s victory – Fashola

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Saturday expressed the optimism that the outcome of the governorship and state assembly elections in the state would favour the APC. Speaking to journalists after casting his vote in Surulere area of the state, the governor said that he had high expectations that the party’s flag bearers would […]

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Saturday expressed the optimism that the outcome of the governorship and state assembly elections in the state would favour the APC.

Speaking to journalists after casting his vote in Surulere area of the state, the governor said that he had high expectations that the party’s flag bearers would emerge victorious.

“I am optimistic of our party’s victory. I am always optimistic,” he said.

On voter turnout, Fashola said that it was too early to conclude whether it was high or low.

According to him, the turnout is not determined in isolation but in relation to factors such as the number of accredited voters and the number of those who actually voted.

Fashola said that it would be misleading to judge the turnout from the number of people at polling units at a particular time.

“You should check whether there is a voting point in addition to a polling unit.

” If there is ,it means you have 500 or possibly 1,000 people.

“Besides, you find out the percentage of people who did accreditation and how many of them actually voted.

 

” You also consider the number of people who registered and how many that collected PVCs,’’ he said.

 

Meanwhile, Mrs Beatrice Ilesanmi, an Observer for the Women International League for Peaceful Elections, has hailed INEC for smooth conduct of the elections.

 

Ilesanmi told NAN at the governorship and state assembly elections in Ifako Ijaye LGA of Lagos that the2015 elections had so far been free and fair.

 

 She said that card readers performed well in most polling units she visited.

 

The observer, however, said that the governorship and state assembly elections recorded low turnout of voters.

 

She attributed it to fear of the unknown and lack of interest by some citizens.

 

”I commended INEC for the smooth conduct of the elections.

 

Meanwhile, voting started in most polling units in Ifako/Ijaye LGA at 1:30p.m.

 

 

Voters queued up, waiting for their turns to cast ballots.

 

They started returning to the booths at 1.00p.m. for voting.

 

A policeman attached to Polling Unit 041 in Ward C2 said that the voters were orderly.

 

 

Voting also started peacefully at 1:30p.m. at Polling Unit 038 in the same ward  as well as Polling Unit 002 in Ward F located at Ileyin on Iju road, Agege, Iju.

 

An APC agent, Mrs Abigail Olajubu, told NAN at Polling Unit 040 in the ward that the elections were peaceful.

 

A PDP agent, Mr Innocent Okodugba, thanked

God for peaceful conduct of voters.(NAN)