Chairman, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), Retired Justice Ayodele Phillips, has said nobody should entertain any doubt on the neutrality of the commission as an electoral umpire.

Phillips, at a news briefing in Lagos ahead of Saturday’s council polls in the state, reassured all players of the commission’s readiness to conduct free and fair elections.

According to her, the commission will provide a level playing field for all political parties and their candidates, saying the commission shall remain committed to its responsibilities of conducting free, fair and credible elections.

She said the various logistics and measures had been put in place to ensure that the poll was not only free but also credible.

Detailing the preparations, the chairman said the commission had already moved all non -sensitive electoral materials to the 20 Local Goverment Areas and 37Local Council Development Areas.

She said the early movement materials was to forestall delay and ensure early take off of the election, saying all security arrangements had been concluded to ensure a hitch-free election.

Philips reiterated that the restriction of movement from 7am to 3pm was to ensure order and impressive participation in the polls, saying the commission was at the climax of sensitisation campaigns to mobilise residents for the election.

The chairman urged residents to come out during the election and vote for the candidates of their choice, urging residents and candidates to conduct themselves peacefully and shun acts of violence during and after the election.

Phillips said accreditation of voters and the actual voting would commence simultaneously at 8am, saying results would be declared across the state not earlier than 3pm, after voting.

She said councillorship results would be declared at ward collation centres, while results for the chairmanship would be declared at the local government collation centres, saying the only condition that may warrant the declaration of the results outside of the collation centres was if it was discovered that the environment was not safe.

The LASIEC chairman however said developments across the state would be monitored at an Election Support Centre set up at the commission’s office.

She thanked the media for their collaboration with LASIEC to ensure the success of the polls, urging them to be professional in the coverage of the election and avoid reports that could incite people to violence.