When they go Low: Lagos, Labour and Leisure

Turning down Leisure, Turning out for Labour, Turning around Lagos

Lagos turned around its voting history in the 2023 presidential elections, and that, in many ways. 

The famed centre of excellence went high when the other 35 states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) went low in their voter turnouts.

First, since 2015, the 2023 presidential election was the first time Lagos voter turnout was not the least in the country. This shift comes at a time when the country as a whole recorded the lowest voter turnout since 1999.

Voter turnout is the proportion of registered voters that eventually leave their homes to cast their votes on election day.

There is more. Of the 36 states and the FCT, only the turnout of Lagos voters exceeded that in the previous election in 2015, followed by Abia State.

Lagos: Turning down Leisure to vote

Lagos is characterised by high political participation but the least voter turnout. Several factors are responsible for this.

Besides the general disillusionment with the political system, lack of trust in the electoral process, and voter intimidation, Lagos voters are fraught with the challenges of a highly populated but thinly landed state.

Lagos has the highest population and population density in Nigeria

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Records have shown that access to election logistics is lower in highly populated parts of the country. This causes longer queues to register to vote, collect permanent voter cards (PVCs), and vote on election day. This may discourage an ever-busy population like that in Lagos.

The socioeconomic challenges of Lagos may also induce this traditional low voter turnout. Election day may be the only day of the week that people are freed from their employers and the threats of their business competitors. And they may take that day off to get a badly-needed rest.

Lagos is a city that demands a lot from its residents, and it can be challenging to find time to rest and relax amidst the daily pressures of life in the city.

Living in a bustling city with a fast-paced lifestyle, working-class Lagosians can feel leisure-deprived due to various factors such as:

• Traffic congestion: Lagos is known for its heavy traffic, especially during rush hours. Residents may spend several hours commuting to and from work, which can be physically and mentally exhausting, leaving them with little time to rest or relax.

• High cost of living: Lagos is one of the most expensive cities to live in Nigeria. The high cost of living can put pressure on residents to work longer hours or multiple jobs to make ends meet, leaving them with less time to rest or relax.

• Work culture: Lagos is known for its work-driven culture, where people tend to work long hours and take fewer breaks. This can create a culture of overwork, leading to burnout and exhaustion.

• Social activities: Lagos is a city that never sleeps, with a vibrant nightlife and a plethora of social events happening every night. Residents may feel pressure to keep up with social activities, leading to a lack of rest and relaxation.

Notwithstanding all these, Lagos residents sacrificed their forced rest on a Saturday, February 25, 2023, to elect Nigeria’s President and their federal legislative representatives. Only this time they sacrificed their leisure party for Labour Party.

Lagos: Turning out for Labour Party

Lagos residents defied all the odds to award the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, the second highest votes across the 36 states and the FCT in the 2023 elections, securing more votes to defeat the incumbent APC government candidate for the first time on its turf.

While the results in Anambra, where the LP candidate scored 95% of total valid votes, have not been contested yet, the Labour Party insist Lagos residents voted more than what was recorded for the party in Lagos.

Albeit, Lagos residents have indicated by their votes that they are looking away from the APC central government. 

The Governorship and State House of Assembly elections next Saturday, 18th March, will be explosive as Lagosians reveal where they stand in the administration of their State.

Lagos: Turning around the Status Quo

Lagos holds its place as the seat of political activism but its credentials as the model of efficient public administration are fraught with allegations of cronyism, godfatherism, and a lack of accountability and transparency in the handling of the State’s deep treasury.

The city has a long history of political protests and movements, and it is often the site of demonstrations and rallies, such as the recent #Endsars protest.

Many believe the voting of the Labour Party in Lagos over the All Progressive Congress (APC) was an extension of the #Endsars protest. This led to President-elect Bola Tinubu’s first loss of his Lagos base to another party. 

Lagos is significant in Nigerian politics, with a large population and significant economic and political influence. Lagos has produced several prominent political leaders, including the current Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo and the President-elect and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Next week Saturday could be the biggest day in this election season. Will Lagos turn around the 24-year political status quo of Bola Tinubu’s hold on Lagos? Will Lagos residents elect a better government than the current one that has generated the highest State internal revenue in the country for years?

Whatever happens in Lagos next weekend will reveal the sociopolitical force that will hold sway in the country in the next four years, the traditional progressives or the disruptive progressives.

All that depends on whether when other states’ voter turnouts go low, Lagos’ will go high.