OSOGBO — Voting in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election in Osogbo and Ede Town proceeded with pockets of delays, voter intimidation reports and concerns over voter registers, as stakeholders monitored proceedings across several wards and polling units.
In Osogbo, Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, cast his vote at Igbalaye Street, Oke-Baale Ward 7, Unit 7. Speaking after voting, he noted that while the process was moving in his area, other locations recorded challenges.
He said that from reports made available to him, areas like Freedom Park were experiencing voter intimidation by alleged APC thugs led by one Asiri Eniba.
“Places like Freedom Park were experiencing voter intimidation by alleged APC thugs led by one Asiri Eniba,” Igbalaye said, adding that calls had been made to relevant security agencies and he believed they were responding accordingly.
He also observed that in some places including his own area the BVAS machine was earlier slow, but said they had reached out to INEC to address the issue.
In Ede North, Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and ICT, Tunde Salam, spoke at Unit 6, Oloba Atapara Ward. He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise and described the voter turnout as impressive.
“The exercise was favorably being conducted and that the voter turnout was impressive,” Salam said.
He however noted that BVAS caused a delay in the early hours. “BVAS was a delay at the early hours as such some voters were required to wait for a while as others who were cleared could go ahead and vote.”
Also commenting on security concerns, Brig. General Bashir Adewimbi, rtd., former Corps Commandant of Amotekun in Osun, said there were reports of violence against voters in some areas but that it was being handled.
He alleged that “opposition party sponsored thugs were attacking PDP loyalists.”
In Olohunda Ward 8, Special Assistant on Politics to Governor Adeleke, Alhaji Raji Munirudeen, raised concerns over delays linked to voter registers.
He said the ward carries the largest number of voters in the area.
“Certain areas were being delayed due to the inadequacy of voter registers and the area, Olohunda ward 8 carries the largest number of voters,” Munirudeen said.
He warned that “if the process was being delayed it will be unfavorable that such large number of voters were denied voting because of this situation.”
Across both Osogbo and Ede, voters were seen queuing at polling units despite the early technical hitches with BVAS, while security personnel were deployed to polling centres and collation points to maintain order.
Stakeholders called for prompt intervention by INEC and security agencies to ensure that delays and reported incidents do not disenfranchise voters as voting continues.
