Lagos LG poll: Candidates sign MoU with LASIEC

Standard flag bearer and candidates of those political parties cleared by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission ( LASIEC ) to vy for elective position in  57 Local Governments Areas/Local Council Development Areas  of Lagos State yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the LASIEC to promote consensus building between the Commission and the political parties.

The Memorandum of Understanding is also intended to provide a clear understanding of the roles of political parties in the resolution of both the pre and post election disputes in the on-going electoral process in the State.

It also  spells out the code of conduct the political parties and their candidates are expected to fully abide with.

The political parties and their candidates are by the MoU signed expected to  cooperate with law enforcement agents to ensure safety and security of election materials, election officials, party agents and the electorate on the day of the election.

The arrangement also bars political parties from fraudulently procuring election results and votes and forcibly occupying polling stations and collation centres, manipulation of ballot boxes or result sheets.

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Political parties are also required to refrain from the destruction of electoral materials or any property belonging to the Commission or encouraging their supporters to cast more than one vote or encouraging supporters to vote in the name of another person  in contravention of  section 66(1) LASIEC Law 2008 as amended.

In addition, the MoU also refrains political parties and their candidates from buying votes or offering bribe,  gift, reward, gratification or any other monetary or material consideration to voters or electoral officials in contravention of section 68(1)and (2) 69(a)-c and 70 (1) (a-h)LASIEC Law 2008 as amended.

It also precludes political parties and their candidates from canvassing for votes within the vicinity of a polling station on polling day in contravention of the relevant sections of the law establishing the Commission.

On the other hand, the Commission is required to provide a level playing ground for all political parties and their candidates for the elections.

It will be recalled that the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Phillips, had announced during a meeting held by the Commission with leaders of political parties and their candidates contesting for elective posts in the July 22 Local Government elections in the State that the candidates would be made to sign an undertaking with the Commission as part of the efforts of the Commission to guarantee peaceful conduct of the elections.