Lagos, Nigeria CNN — Nigerians began voting Saturday in the delayed governorship polls, weeks after a controversial and controversial presidential election, amid reports of electoral violence and disenfranchisement of voters. A party official was shot during the elections for Nigeria's new state governors in Lagos on Saturday. "We're getting disturbing reports from all over Lagos that voters are being intimidated and repressed. One of our agents was shot and ," Labor Party candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who ran for governor of Lagos state, said in a video statement. "We compile reports from different states of the federation before we make a decision," Festus Okoye, spokesperson for the Independent National Election Commission , told CNN. Reports continued Saturday that nearly 6,000 residents in Victoria Garden City in Lagos were disenfranchised, as polling places were moved outside their secure complex without prior notice, and election staff claimed that not a single resident left before they could vote. The race for governor will be determined in 28 of Nigeria's 36 states as the ruling party seeks to regain lost ground in key states. But all eyes will be on the country's tense rivalry for control of the wealthy State of Lagos. "This may be the most contentious gubernatorial election in Lagos State," political analyst Sam Amadi told CNN. As incumbent president, Amadi may have grown in influence in Lagos, but the Submissives are strong," says Amadi, speaking of supporters of Labor presidential candidate Peter Obi. Obi caused shock waves when it was revealed that he defeated President-Elect Bola Tinubu at his home ground in Lagos but finished third in the presidential poll. Obi denies Tinubu's victory and is contesting the results in the courts. The presidential election on February 25 was widely criticized for widespread delays, violence and attempts to suppress voters. Multiple observers, including the European Union, said the election fell short of expectations and "lacks transparency". Battle for Lagos As Nigeria's commercial hub and one of Africa's largest cities, the battle for Lagos has often been a two-sided race that was never won by the opposition. This is in part owed to Bola Tinubu, his political godfather and kingmaker, who is said to have elected every Lagos governor individually since he left office in 2007. Tinubu's tight control over Lagos politics is now facing an unprecedented threat from Obi's third force, the Labor Party, after losing at home. Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, the Labor party gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State, looks at his meeting with members of the campaign team at his office in Lagos, Nigeria, March 3, 2023. Patrick MeinhardtAFP via Obi became the opposition's first presidential candidate to win in Lagos. Amadi says its popularity among youth could be game-changing in the Lagos governor's poll. “They won Lagos in the last poll but they feel cheated and suppressed. So we can see a more fierce fight. It depends on how motivated and victimized subordinates are feeling right now," he said. The Peter Obi effect Fifteen candidates want to dismiss incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who is seeking a second term from the ruling All Progressives Congress party. But only the two of them are seen as the real threat to his reelection. Labor's Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who was seen as a distant prospect just a few weeks ago, is now riding Obi's wave and gaining momentum after his party's surprise win in Tinubu's stronghold. Azeez Olajide Adediran of the Peoples' Democratic Party, also known as Jandor, is another strong candidate for her party aiming to clinch the Lagos seat for the first time. Adediran's party has finished second in every governorship vote in Lagos since its return to civilian rule in 1999. Both men told CNN they were confident of victory. "For the first time, the PDP will take Lagos and I will be governor," says Adediran. "People are really tired... The streets of Lagos miss fresh air and we represent that," he adds. One wall is decorated with campaign posters of Peoples' Democratic Party Lagos gubernatorial candidate Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran and fellow candidate Funke Akindele in Lagos on March 7, 2023. Pius Utomi EkpeiAFP via Rhodes-Vivour told CNN that the time has come to save Lagos from "takeover of the state" and that he is next to run the state. “I am the next governor of Lagos state,” he said. “You can't stop an idea whose time has come. The idea of ​​a new Lagos powered by the people and working for the people rather than being taken over by the state; The time has come for this idea and no matter what they do they cannot stop it. Confidence comes from here.” Governor Sanwo-Olu has asked voters to re-elect him for his achievements, which he says have brought "significant progress" to Lagos, including his commendable handling of the COVID pandemic. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress , is seen in Lagos, January 24, 2023. Pius Utomi EkpeiAFP via But the governor failed to placate angry youth who accused him of playing a role in the 2020 of peaceful protesters by Nigerian soldiers who opposed police violence. Sanwo-Olu admitted to CNN at the time that footage showed uniformed soldiers at peaceful protesters, but recently denied the order to shoot. Analyst Amadi told CNN that the governor's poll in Lagos will be a contest between detaining or evacuating the old guard. "Lagos is a struggle between the status quo and change," Amadi said. “The incumbent Sanwo-Olu has a good chance of retaining his job. But he is facing a serious challenge from Gbadebo who has the momentum of [Obi wave]. Jandor is behind because the PDP was purged in Southern Nigeria and there is no enthusiasm factor in Lagos,” he said. "Sanwo-Olu wasn't great but is believed to have performed well in some aspects of keeping Lagos afloat. He could survive Saturday's popular uprising... but beware if APC's fearmongering and loss of confidence in INEC's honesty don't dampen the motivation of young voters, he'll be upset. " said. Confidence eroded in the democratic process A widespread loss of confidence in the electoral body's ability to hold reliable elections, along with attempts to suppress voters, eroded voters' confidence in the democratic process. Only 26% of Nigeria's more than 93 million registered voters came to vote in the last election. This was much lower than the 2019 poll, in which a third of registered voters voted. David Ayodele of the civic group EiE Nigeria told CNN that the February 25 elections "deepened the trust gap between the commission and the voters". Ayodele urged the electoral board to redeem itself in the weekend's poll, "by naming and prosecuting INEC officials caught tampering with the electoral process." Last month, Lagos police officials said they were investigating an audio recording in which two people were heard threatening residents of a local community to vote for the ruling APC's candidates or risk expulsion from the area. Polls will begin at 830am local time on Saturday and are expected to close at 230pm. . Gotopnews.com