The ongoing local government election in Oyo State has been marred with logistic problems and accusations of opposition harassment and brutalities.
Although elections were concluded in a few polling units and counting has been done, voting is yet to commence in many polling units due to the absence of Oyo State Independence Electoral Commission (OYSEIC) staff and voting materials.
Voters waiting for OYSIEC Staff
It was gathered that as of the time of filing this report, most polling units in the Ibadan metropolis have not commenced accreditation and voting as Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), officials are yet to arrive as at the time of filing this report.
It was equally gathered that as of 2 pm, voting has not started in the polling units of the University of Ibadan (UI), as the electorate is waiting for the arrival of voting materials, though, the OYSIEC were on the ground.
Adesola Yaqub said, “Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission did not show up to conduct an election in Ooprelope Local Government. OYSIEC office under padlock in Igboho, ORLG of Oyo state.”
One of the incidents of police brutalities is the arrest of the Oyo State Chairman of the African Action Congress (ACC), Apostle Kay, and one Comrade Cynsore, who claimed to be on the election monitoring at the time of his arrest.
He was handcuffed, beaten and slapped by a DPO, who could not manage his anger. The DPO hinge the arrest on the restriction of movement ordered by the state government.
Speaking on the conduct of the election, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Barrister Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli declared that OYSIEC did not prepare for the ongoing local government election in the state.
Alli, who was elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, decried reports of late arrival of electoral materials in some parts of the state, adding that there are a lot of abnormalities that have characterised the election.
He said, “I have heard complaints from Iseyin, I have heard complaints from Okeho since yesterday. There was a problem from Ayete yesterday, polling officers are yet to arrive at Idikan Onibata, in Ward 4, Ward 5 of Ibadan North West Local government area, we kept on complaining. As I was talking, they said they were on their way. When the election is going to close at 3:00 pm and they are yet to arrive at 11:00 pm. It shows that the OYSIEC is not prepared or they are up to some games – it is one out of the two. If by 11:00 am materials are yet to arrive at this place which is about 5 to 10 minutes from both the OYSIEC headquarters and Ibadan North local government headquarters, what are we talking about? This is Ward 3 and this is where I have been voting, last year we were here by this time the election was almost concluded.”
