National Telescope national telescope newspaper
The local government election in Oyo State on Saturday faced challenges with insufficient electoral materials and the absence of electoral officials in some areas.
Chairman of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), Isiaka Olagunju had assured of a free and fair election across the state’s 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
However, reports indicate that the election did not take place in Saki and Orelope LGAs, as well as parts of Ibadan, where OYSIEC offices were closed.
In a video shared on Facebook, prospective voters in Ward 4, Unit 14, Sacred Heart School, Ibadan, expressed frustration over the absence of OYSIEC officials.
A woman leader of the All Progressives Congress whose name was not disclosed in the video clip expressed concerns about the delay.
She said, “We have two polling booths in Sacred Heart School. We have not seen polling officials since 7am we have all been waiting. I trekked from New Gbagi Market to vote here. Do they want to scatter everything?”
Speaking in an interview with NATIONAL TELESCOPE, former Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, decried his inability to vote in Saki, accusing the state Governor Seyi Makinde of influencing the process.
He said, “We had expected that the election would hold and we were all expecting to vote but to our dismay no election was held in the local government. There are 11 wards, and 282 poll units in Saki Local Government and from our findings, there was no election in any of those places.
“This is a reflection of what the governor has been saying. Overtime he has been boasting that they will win at the 33 local government. He is not God, how then will he know the people who will vote?”
Also, the APC Chairman, Saki West LGA, Alhaji Tajudeen Okunlola, in another video clip, stated that the Electoral Officers had not been seen since Friday, hampering electoral activities.
“We have not seen the Electoral Officer since yesterday (Friday). He gave us time to meet him for the distribution of electoral materials but since yesterday we have not seen him. We called his number, but it was switched off. Our candidates have gone to report to the security agencies. We have not seen this type of government before.”
Similarly, the OYSIEC office in Orelope LGA remained closed, with APC members lamenting disenfranchisement by the state government.
The prospective voters were seen in a video clip at the front of the OYSIEC office expressing concern over the failure of the electoral body to conduct the election.
Also speaking at the OYSIEC office, a Member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, representing Orelope State Constituency, Jimoh Ishola decried the situation, emphasizing the need for OYSIEC’s adherence to the election schedule.
He said, “There was no election in Orelope Local Government. This is the OYSIEC office at Orelope Local Government Secretariat and it has been under lock since yesterday till this moment. This is some minute past 4pm and no election was held in Orelope Local Government.
“It is quite unfortunate. A leader must be known for certain things and a leader must possess certain qualities. Part of the qualities is for you to say something and it is done as you have said.
“There was a need to check the inventory of the election materials but unfortunately yesterday (Friday) about 24 hours before the election. We expected OYSIEC to call us to check the election materials. When our people got there they were told that it would be 9am yesterday, after that time, they extended it to 2pm and by 2pm they were told to go until further notice.
“Last night they said they would distribute election materials by 2am. Our members have been here at their office since that time we didn’t see the OYSIEC officials or their ad-hoc staff. They boycotted this election. I don’t see any reason why they should boycott the election.
The Director General of the Campaign Council in the LG, Adesola Yakub condemned the election irregularities, describing it as a threat to democracy.
He added, “It is an abuse of power. It is a big loss for democracy. They have disenfranchised almost everybody. It is a rape of the people.”
Meanwhile, the APC Secretary in Oyo State, Mr Tajudeen Olanite said there were incomplete essential materials in some areas, promising to issue a formal statement after gathering all reports.
“We heard also that there were no elections in some places due to incomplete essential materials. We are gathering our report and we will make the necessary statement.
In his response, the Oyo State PDP Chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro, asserted that the election took place in all parts of the state.
He dismissed allegations of election boycott by the state government and OYSIEC, labeling them politically motivated.
Ogungbenro questioned the logic behind isolating certain areas, emphasizing that such actions serve no purpose for either the state government or OYSIEC.
“How can those places be isolated? What will the state government gain from isolating the local governments? What will OYSIEC gain by distributing materials in every local government and isolating some? That is all politics. Election held everywhere in the state today and we are waiting for the outcome of the election. This is the only government in recent times with open-mindedness.”
He highlighted the government’s inclusive approach, stating that all political parties were allowed to participate in the election. Ogungbenro emphasized the conducive environment created for the electoral process and urged against attributing any perceived failure to the government. He concluded by expressing optimism about the election outcome and commending the government’s openness.
“This government allowed every party to participate and because of the conducive environment, they decided to partake. So if anybody is seeing failure steering him, they should not blame anybody.”
