Voting Concluded in Osun as Results Trickle In
Voting has been concluded in Osun as results of the governorship election trickle in.
Though, most of the results are coming from sources not authorized to announce but counting has shown neck-to-neck results between the All Progressive Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
Labour Candidate, Lasun Yussuf Votes in Ilobu; Says Turnout Impressive
Candidate of the Labour in the ongoing governorship election in Osun, Lasun Yussuf has voted in his Ilobu town in Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.
Lasun, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, said said it was too early for him to comment on the exercise but commended the turn out in his PU04, Ward 5, Woru compound, Irepodun LGA.
Accord Party’s Candidate, Akin Ogunbiyi Votes in Ile Ogbo; Alleges Vote-Buying
vote buying characterised the ongoing election in various parts of the state, especially in Ayedire, Ile-Ogbo and Osogbo environs.
Ogunbiyi made the allegations shortly after he cast his vote with his wife at Ile-Ogbo Ward 1, Unit 1, Methodist Primary School.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the voting pattern, especially at Ward 1, Unit 1 in Aiyedire.
According to him, some political parties were inducing voters with the sum of N3,000 and N4,000 under the watch of security personnel.
Ogunbiyi said: “When I got to Ward 1 Unit 5, I observed that there was vote buying with some people being offered N3,000 and N4,000 by different political parties.
“I am not buying vote. I am a candidate of Accord and even, if l have the money to buy votes, I will not do such, because it is the selfless service we promised this people.
“I witnessed it , there was vote buying in Osogbo, there was vote buying in Ile-Ogbo. Let the whole world know what is happening,” Ogunbiyi said.
He urged the electorate to cast their votes according to their consciences, saying that they should not allow any political party to buy the future of their children.
The governorship candidate said that the use of “state boys” for the election was unfortunate and detrimental to democratic good governance.
He urged the electoral umpire to quickly address the issue, saying that it was paramount to the success of the election.
He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the peaceful conduct of the election without any major violence.
Candidate of the Accord Party in the ongoing governorship election in Osun, Mr. Akin Ogunbiyi, has voted in his Aiyedire Local Government Area of the state. He voted at the Unit 03, Ward 05, Methodist Primary School, Ileogbo town in the Ayedire Local Government Area of the state.
Singer, Davido Reports Hoodlums to INEC Over Violence in Ife
Musician, David Adeleke (Davido) has reported to the Independent National Electoral Commission, alleged harassment of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ile Ife, Osun State.
Davido, who took to his twitter handle, said they are not allowing people to vote in Ife.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic party, Ademola Adeleke is an uncle to Davido.
The National Secretary of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Iyiola Omisore, is an indigene of Ife and is believed to have wide influence on elections in the ancient city.
The PDP had earlier in a tweet complained of the same issue.
Osun Governor, Oyetola Arrives Voting Centre in Iragbiji
Governor of Osun, Gboyega Oyetola who is also the candidate of the All Progressive Congress arrived at his voting unit at about 10:43am accompanied by a huge crowd of supporters and residents.
He arrived with his wife, Alhaja Kafaya Oyetola.
Details later…
100 Year Old Man Sighted at Oyetola’s Hometown Voting
An over 100 year-old man, Mr Mustafa Olatunji, was spotted on Saturday voting at Unit 2, Ward 1, LA Primary School Popo, Iragbiji in Boripe Local Government area of Osun, at the ongoing governorship election.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Olatunji, a Centenarian, was visibly the oldest person on the queue at the polling unit when accreditation and voting began at about 8.30 a.m.
Olatunji told NAN that he had been voting since the day of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, saying, “voting is my civic responsibility”.
According to him, I am over 100 years and I have been voting since the day’s Awolowo.
“I am happy with the election process and always motivated to see people coming out to vote during election.
“Election is the only process by which people can choose the leaders they want,” he said.
NAN
PDP Accuses APC Chieftain of Using Thugs to Disrupt Exercise in Ife
The Peoples Democratic Party has accused a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Ile Ife of using thugs to prevent supporters of the PDP from voting.
The PDP in a tweet at about 9:54am on Saturday alerted the police and the APC of the activities of one Segun Fanibe of bringing hoodlums to the polling centre.
“An APC thug identified as Mr. Segun Fanibe and his boys, armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons are currently preventing voters in AKODI LATALE IN ILE -IFE.
INEC Machine Initially Rejects Adeleke’s Thumbprint
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machine being used for the Osun governorship election today has rejected the thumbprint of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ademola Adeleke.
He later went through the facial recognition before he was able to vote.
Adeleke, shortly after voting, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for making the accreditation processes and voting smooth and easy.
He said that the election was so far peaceful, expressing confidence of winning after the whole exercise and becoming the next Governor of Osun.
Adeleke, also commended the security personnel for their commitment toward ensuring the safety of lives and property in the ongoing governorship election.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the governorship election is taking place in all the 30 local government areas of Osun with 3,763 polling units and 332 registration areas.
Also, Ede North has a total registered voters of 71, 750 for the governorship election, with 151 polling units and 11 registration areas.
Also, Ede South has 54, 880 registration voters, with 89 polling units and 10 registration areas.
VOTERS TURN OUT ENMASS
There is a huge turn out in the ongoing governorship election in Osun State as voters have trooped out as early as 7:30am to cast their votes.
Some of the polling units visited by the NPO Reports showed that there is a high rate of interests in the election which is to either re-elect incumbent Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressive Congress or a successor.
Oyetola is expected to finish his first term in November, this year.
In Osogbo, the state capital huge crowd of voters were seen at various polling units. In Iwo, many were also seen trying to check for their names on the INEC displayed list.
In Ede, a huge crowd of voters were seen moving towards their polling units.
One of the voters NPO Reports with in Ejigbo, Mrs. Aira Adedimeji, said she has been looking out for the election because of her interest in the candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Mr. Goke Omigbodun.
She said she was drawn to the candidate because of his performance in one of the debates held for candidates.
“My candidate is Omigbodun and I am very passionate about him because he appears to be different from all. We have tasted APC. We have experienced PDP before. But the man appears different and has a mission,” she said in Yoruba.
It is going to be a battle of titans as voters in Osun, South-West Nigeria, go to the polls today to elect a new Governor.
Prominent among the contenders today are incumbent Gov Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressive Congress, Ademola Adeleke of Peoples Democratic Party, Lasun Yusuff of Labour Party, Akin Ogunbiyi of Accord Party, Goke Omigbodun of Social Democratic Party and others .
Vital Statistics in Today’s Election:
Number of registered voters- 1,955,657
Number of PVCs collected-1,479,595
Number of Wards-332
Number of Polling Units-3,010
Number of Candidates/Political Party- 15
ISSUES IN TODAY’S ELECTION
Today’s election is seen as very crucial to both the the APC and the PDP especially because of the stakes ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Titans whose interested are directly concerned with the election are the presidential candidates of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and that of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
While the APC candidate Oyetola is seen as a brother of Tinubu, his re-election is considered a major boost for Tinubu’s presidential contest in 2023. In the same vein, Adeleke’s contest is seen as a major test for the PDP ahead of 2023 especially in the face of the various internal crisis bedeviling the party.
So, in a way, today’s election in Osun is seen as a contest between Tinubu and Atiku.
In another way, it is also seen as a battle of two heavyweights between Tinubu and Dr. Deji Adeleke, a silent billionaire and father of music sensation, David Adeleke (Davido) who are considered have to have deep pockets just as the APC candidate is believed to be heavily backed by his brother, a former Governor of Lagos State.
Another crucial issue to be determined in today’s election is who has more influence within the ruling APC in Osun between the former Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and the incumbent Oyetola.
Since the commencement of the Oyetola administration, all have not been well within the APC in the state with the division into the Ileri Oluwa and The Osun Progressives (TOP) camp.
TOP members, who are backed by Aregbesola, who currently serves as the Minister of Interior, accuse Oyetola of running the party like his personal fiefdom. He is accused of being hostile to whoever has sympathy for Aregbeosla.
They also accuse Tinubu of backing Oyetola against Aregbesola who is said to have been Tinubu’s most loyal political protege over the decades.
While TOP members claim they remain members of the APC, they believe the Aregbesola’s influence in the party is too weighty not to be factored in in the APC processes for victory.
At least, one prominent member of the TOP camp and former Commissioner for Local Government in the state, Kolapo Alimi, has defected to the PDP.