Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has commended the people of the state for their orderly conduct during the local government election held in the state on Saturday.
However, the state chapter of Labour Party (LP) has rejected the exercise, calling for its total cancellation.
The LP hinged the demand on allegation that the exercise fell short of acceptable standard.
Gov Abiodun gave the commendation while fielding questions from newsmen shortly after casting his vote at the Ita-Osanyin Unit 2, Ward 3 in Iperu-Remo, Ikenne local government area of the state.
The governor who arrived at the polling unit at 11:10 am and voted at 11:22 am, noted that the peaceful atmosphere indicated that the people were ready to elect the candidates of their choice.
“I am confident that when the elections are concluded and the people have expressed their choice through the ballot, everybody will be happy,” Governor Abiodun said.
He acknowledged some challenges in the process, but expressed confidence in the ability of the State Independent Electoral Commission to surmount it.
“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 ernest,” the Governor said..
The exercise witnessed an impressive turnout in Sagamu and Ikenne local governments as voters were trooped to their various polling units to cast their ballots.
An election observer from Advocacy for Social Justice & Liberty, Charles Odunuga, commended the electoral body for what he termed decent and well organised process.
Meanwhile, at an emergency press conference addressed in Abeokuta, the state capital, the State Chairman of the Labour Party, Engr. Abiodun Jagunna accused the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) of deliberately disenfranchising the electorate, particularly its members through a systemic rigging in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Jagun premised his party’s call for cancellation on the ground of late arrival of electoral materials, non-display of voters’ register, as well as non-accreditation of voters, among others.
Describing the process as “a charade”, particularly at the Ofada Wards in Obafemi – Owode and Abeokuta South LGs, Jagun said conduct of the LG poll was a “clear violation of the electoral guidelines of Ogun state electoral law and in particular, Section 61, subsection of the Electoral Law.
“Sadly, the Chairman of OGSIEC Babatunde Osibodu has failed to use the opportunity of the local government election to distinguish himself. What took place in Ogun state today falls short of the minimum standard required for the conduct of an election”.
“More worrisome is the fact that our teeming supporters, made up of youths, old men and women, came out in their numbers to exercise their democratic rights. They waited endlessly for the arrival of OGSIEC officials and the election materials, which never came. In the few places where the materials were delivered, our supporters were chased away from the Polling Units and those who stood their grounds were beaten and brutalised,” he said.
The LP in the state threatened to challenge ‘charade’ in court if its demand was not acted upon.
