Blame game, low turnout of voters headline Osun LG poll by Bola Bamigbola

Osun local government election held on Saturday witnessed low turnout of voters since officials of Osun State Independent Electoral Commission arrived at most voting centres late with voting materials.

The exercise in many polling centres across the state started past 9am instead of 8am normal time scheduled for the election.

In Osogbo, Olorunda, Iwo, Irewole, Ila, Odo-Otin, Ifelodun, Boripe and Ayedaade local government areas, the exercise witnessed a slow start as most of the wards had only All Progressive Congress (APC) fielding candidates in the poll.

Explaining reasons why OSIEC officers arrived polling units late, a presiding officers in one of the units in Akarabata Ward 10, Isaac Adedokun told newsmen that there were mix up at OSIEC office during the sorting of voting materials.

Voters, who had arrived the centres early were disappointed at the late arrival of the polling officers.

At Iremo Ward 3 in Ife Central local government, policemen fired teargas to prevent miscreants from disrupting the election while a notorious cultist simply identified as Oluremo was arrested by the police.

Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of Accord Party in Osun state, Segun Fanibe alleged that there neither election officers nor voting materials at his polling unit at Iremo, Ward 7, unit 3.

Fanibe alleged that since the ward remains his stronghold, the opposition party were trying to frustrate victory of Accord Party at the poll.

Confirming this position, a policeman attached to the ward, who identified himself as Akintoba Joseph said he had arrived the voting centre at 8:00am and had not seen any OSIEC official or election materials.

But, refuting the allegations, a former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Sikiru Ayedun, who was at his More ward 1, unit 10 to cast his ballot, said nobody was disenfranchised in Ile-Ife.

more details