In what’s shaping up to be a major pre-election showdown, several Lagos political parties under the umbrella of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) took to the streets on Monday, demanding that the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) scrap newly introduced administrative fees for local government candidates.
EpeInsights learnt that the protest, which began with a peaceful march from Birrel Avenue in Sabo-Yaba to LASIEC headquarters, was led by members of at least five political parties — including the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), African Action Congress (AAC), Young Progressives Party (YPP), All People’s Party (APP) and Accord Party.
At the heart of the protest is LASIEC’s new fee structure:
- ₦150,000 for chairmanship candidates
- ₦75,000 for vice chairmanship
- ₦50,000 for councillorship aspirants
Though the commission says women and people with disabilities are exempt, critics argue the fees are simply too high — and unconstitutional.
“LASIEC is not a revenue-generating agency. Its duty is to conduct elections, not to act like a tax collector,” said Adekunle Mode-Adenipebi, ZLP’s Lagos chairman and IPAC’s organising secretary. He added that similar charges were already struck down in neighbouring states like Ogun and Oyo.
“If INEC doesn’t charge candidates for national elections, why should LASIEC be any different?” he asked, warning that the group would seek legal redress if LASIEC didn’t back down.
Others echoed his concerns. “They’re asking candidates to pay what they simply can’t afford,” said Dele Oladeji, chairman of the Accord Party in Lagos. “Democracy should be inclusive, not restricted to the highest bidders.”
The protest ended without any response from LASIEC officials, who did not meet with the group. But the parties say they’re not backing down. Legal action is reportedly already in the works and could be filed as soon as Wednesday.
As local government elections approach on July 12, all eyes will be on whether LASIEC holds firm — or folds under the pressure.
