The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) has explained its absence from Labour Party primaries ahead of the July 12 local government elections, citing factional crisis within the party as the reason.

Speaking at a stakeholders' forum in Ikeja on Thursday, LASIEC Chairman Justice Bola Okikiolu-Ighile (retd.) revealed that three rival factions within the Labour Party each claimed legitimacy and had separately invited the commission to monitor their respective primaries.

"We just go there to observe the primaries. We were at ACME last week Saturday during the chairmanship primaries, and all our electoral officers were in different wards," Okikiolu-Ighile explained. "Today (Thursday), Labour Party invited us, but unfortunately, due to the factions, we could not attend."

The LASIEC chairman further clarified that the commission had sought guidance from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding which faction to recognize but had not received official direction.

"On our records, we have three different names from different factions, and because of that, we had to forward a letter to INEC for counsel. So, without that, we are not attending. We have intimated every faction of the Labour Party in question about our stance, and I am sure they will resolve it," she stated.

Despite the challenges with Labour Party, LASIEC continues to engage with other political parties ahead of the elections. The commission is scheduled to monitor primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Saturday.

Addressing concerns about administrative fees, Okikiolu-Ighile revealed that LASIEC had set considerate rates: N150,000 for chairmanship aspirants, N75,000 for vice-chairmanship, and N50,000 for councillorship positions. She added that women, youth, and Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) have been granted exemptions to encourage wider participation.

The stakeholders' forum, themed "Enhancing a Credible and Inclusive Local Government Elections in Lagos," was well-attended by traditional rulers and market leaders. Participants emphasized collaboration to address voter apathy and mitigate election-related violence.

In his keynote address, former Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, highlighted the importance of electoral integrity and institutional autonomy.

"LASIEC must be autonomous; there should be no interference. There must be continuous sensitization and education of the voting public, provision of adequate security to ensure the process is seamless, and information technology must be improved and well integrated," Adeyemi emphasized.

The July 12 local government elections are expected to proceed with or without the resolution of the Labour Party's internal crisis.