Osun rerun: Sporadic shootings, vote buying mar election

As electorate throng the four local governments of Osogbo, Orolu, Ife
North and Ife South to participate in the rerun election slated for
Thursday, sporadic shootings and vote buying have obviously marred the
process.

At ward 5, unit 17, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, many of the voters were chased
away by hoodlums suspected to be working for a political party as they
continued to shoot sporadically.

The intervention of military personnel eventually calmed the tensed
atmosphere and normalcy was restored.

Also, many of the voters at Orolu were prevented by political thugs
from assessing the three polling units in the local government.

The police eventually called for more reinforcement to ameliorate the
situation and doused tension.

Meanwhile, The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), agent was noticeably
missing at Adereti Village, Ward 7, Unit 12, in Ife South local
government, as vote buying and selling visibly dominated the voting
environment.

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), Mr
Stephen Oyewande, who is the deputy director, Voters Education, when
asked why PDP was missing, said: "Call the state chairman of the party
why his party agent is not here. I can't explain why he is not here."

However, Lateef Abimbola of All Progressives Congress (APC), Olaiya
Yemi of All Peoples Alliance, (APA), Rasheed Mojeed of Advance
Congress of Democrat, (ADC), Adeyemo Gafar of Action Democratic Party,
(ADP) and Bayo Shittu of Social Democratic Party (SDP), were present
at the polling centre.

Also, some serving Commissioners and Special Advisers of Osun state
government were sighted in the polling centre.

Security around the polling unit was water-tight, even as Ife/Ondo
road was partially blocked to traffic.

Though they were later allowed to move, many commuters, especially
those moving towards Ondo end of Ife/Ondo road, were stranded for some
hours owing to roadblock mounted by the soldiers on election duty.

Speaking to newsmen, Supervisory Presiding Officer, Femi Kuku, said
the exercise was going on well without hitch.

However, an unconfirmed report has it that PDP agent, as well as some
supporters of the party, were chased out the polling unit.