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LG elections dry in Osun

Published

9 years ago

January 27, 2018

Feyijimi Emmanuel

The Osun local government poll has failed too attract latge voter turnouts across the state.

Although INEC’s ad-hoc staff arrived at polling units on time, they had a few voters to attend to.

At St. Peter Primary School, Unit 1, Otun Balogun Ward, Gbongan in Ikire Local Government, the turnout of electorate was low. Speaking with NAN, Mr Olasiyan Sikiru, All Progressive Congress (APC) party agent, decried the unimpressive turnout of the electorate.

Sikiru said out of 600 registered voters at the ward, only 40 came out to vote as at 10a.m. “We are hopeful that people will still come out but aside the low turnout, the election is going on smoothly.”

Mr Oladele Adelowo, the Accord Party agent at Unit 2, Otun Balogun ward, said the low turnout of the electorate was because the election fell on the market day. Adelowo, however, commended the OSIEC staff for arriving at the polling unit on time.

Mr Adeshina Olatokunbo, the ward returning officer, said the election was peaceful without any challenges. Olatokunbo said it was expected that more electorate would still come out to vote.

At Unit 2, Eketa Ward in Osogbo Local Government, NAN also observed that the turnout was also low. The accreditation of voters and voting, however, went on smoothly.

Low turnout of voters was also witnessed in Ile-Ife. At Iremo Unit 13, Ward 3 in Ile-Ife, the turnout of the voters was low with late arrival of voting materials. Miss Damilola Omiyefa, APC party agents decried non-availability of voting materials as at 10a.m. and low voters turnout.

NAN reports that the election, which was conducted in the parliamentary pattern, is for ward councillors only who will in turn choose their council chairmen among themselves.

This pattern of the election runs contrary to the existing presidential system whereby both the councillors and chairmen are voted directly by the electorate.