POOR turnout, non-arrival, late arrival of electoral officers and materials marred the conduct of the local government elections in Oyo State on Saturday.
APC alleges irregularities
In its assessment of the conduct of the poll, the APC has called for cancellation of the exercise after it described the poll as a sham that is capable of bringing the state to disrepute.
The party called on the OYSIEC to cancel the exercise and reschedule it for another day when it is ready to conduct a free, fair and credible poll.
The APC alleged that cases of non-availability of election officials, disenfranchisement of eligible voters, shortage of voting materials, violence and threat to life marred the poll, adding that the electoral commission appeared helpless to rescue the situation even as voters waited endlessly in most of the affected places.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, Oyo APC disclosed that it would still reject the outcome of the poll even if the electoral commission declares all APC candidates as winners because the poll falls below the minimum global standard of election conduct.
“The best thing is for the commission to suspend the exercise and choose another date for a proper conduct rather than continue to connive with a few anti-democratic elements in the ruling PDP to perpetrate electoral fraud and desecration of democracy in the land,” APC said.
“In the 10 local government councils of Oke-Ogun, the official result sheets known as Form EC8A were withheld by OYSIEC’s electoral officers while political thugs were unleashed on some members of the opposition who asked questions in places like Kajola, Olorunsogo, Itesiwaju, Ibarapa East, Lagelu, Ido, Oyo East, Atiba, Oluyole among others. The chairman of our party in Ibarapa East, Mr Segun Ojediran, was violently attacked by the PDP thugs in Eruwa and he is now receiving treatment in a private hospital.
Meanwhile, Chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, (OYSIEC), Isiaka Olagunju, has expressed satisfaction with how the local government election is being conducted in the state.
This is as he said complaints about late arrival of election materials at some polling units had been addressed.
Olagunju gave this assessment at the commission’s headquarters, Agodi, Ibadan, after monitoring the exercise in parts of the state.
Olagunju said: “I am very glad everywhere is calm and there is no violence. We have addressed all concerns about late arrival of election materials at some polling stations.”
Also speaking on the monitoring exercise, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr Adebola Hamzat, said the collaborative efforts of security agencies is evidenced by the peaceful election.
He said skirmishes in some parts of the state were being addressed.
“We have deployed enough security personnel, our people would see them everywhere. There is no cause for alarm, so far so good.”
In a related development, Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has commended citizens of the state for turning out to vote during the Saturday election.
The governor also rated the conduct of the election high, stating that the poll compared favourably with elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The governor made these statements after casting his vote at Unit 1, Ward 011, Abayomi Open Space, Iwo Road, Ibadan North East LGA of Oyo State.
While addressing journalists after exercising his franchise, Governor Makinde said: “For us in Oyo State, it is almost like a given that democracy at the grassroots is what we practise. This is almost our fifth year in office and we are holding local government election for the second time.
“Before we came in, it had always been caretaker administration at the grassroots without the people having a say in who should govern them.
“You can see around also that the people are going about, performing the exercise peacefully and the traffic restriction is being obeyed by the people. So, I will commend our people for coming out to take democracy seriously at that level.”
The governor, who noted that the security report about the election had been excellent, said those who observed any untoward development should report the same to the security agencies.
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