Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday commended the people of the state for the orderly manner in which they conducted themselves during the local government election held across the state.
This is just as the state chapter of the Labour Party (LP) rejected the conduct of the exercise and called for its total cancellation on the ground that its conduct fell below acceptable standard.
Abiodun gave the commendation while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after casting his vote at the Ita-Osanyin Unit 2, Ward 3, Iperu-Remo, Ikenne local government area of the state.
Abiodun, who arrived at the polling booth at about 11:10am and voted at 11:22am, noted that the peaceful atmosphere across the state is an indication that the people were ready to elect the candidate of their choice.
“I want to thank the good people of Ogun State who have come out in their numbers to express themselves through the ballots. I see this as a vote of confidence, particularly at this time.
“I am confident that when the elections are concluded and the people have expressed their choice through the ballot everybody will be happy,” he said.
He acknowledged some hiccups in the process, but expressed confidence in the ability of the State Independent Electoral Commission to surmount it.
“I want to appreciate the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) for the level of preparedness for this election. The feedback I have gotten is that they are very thorough and they have been very diligent.
“In any election, you cannot rule out some logistical hiccups but by and large, I have been informed that that is over now and electoral materials have reached all polling booths in the State and the process of voting has commenced in earnest.”
The exercise witnessed an impressive turnout in Sagamu and Ikenne local government areas as voters were seen trooping to their various polling units to cast their ballots.
Meanwhile, at an emergency press conference addressed yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital, the state chairman of the Labour Party, Engr Abiodun Jagunna accused the state electoral body, OGSIEC, of deliberately disenfranchising the electorate, particularly its members, through a systemic rigging in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Flanked by other members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party that included the LP’s legal officer, Oluwafemi Ibiayo, Jagun premised his party’s call for cancellation of the poll on the ground of late arrival of electoral materials, non-display of voters’ register, as well as non-accreditation of the electorate, among others.
