Osun LG Polls Hold Peacefully As Residents Exercise Voting Rights

Eligible voters in the 3763 polling units of Osun state trooped out to exercise their franchise as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The exercise, which held peacefully across the state, saw voters cast their ballots for their choice councillors and chairmanship candidates.

It would be recalled that the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) had on February 17, 2024, unveiled timetable for the local election, fulfilling provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, which mandates not later than 360 days notice before the day of election.

On Friday, a court sitting in Ilesa had ordered the electoral commission in the state to go ahead with elections to fill vacant positions in the governance at the grassroot.

As early as 7:00 a.m., anxious voters had reported at their various polling units awaiting the arrival of electoral officials to be able to cast their votes. In Iwo, this reporter observed sizeable turnouts of voters in more than 20 polling units visited, signifying interest in the election.

By 8:07 a.m., the election had commenced in unit 2 of Gídígbo II, with voters lining up in queues to cast their ballots. At unit 5 and 6 in Gídígbo I, voters were seen casting their ballots in an orderly manner at the Aipate Baptist Day Primary School that the units are located.

In Molete III, more than four polling units visited by this reporter showed voters casting their ballots with no issue whatsoever. Police patrols could be observed across the various polling units visited by this reporter, ostensibly to safeguard voters and ensure that the election is peaceful.

At about 8:52 a.m., when this reporter visited units 3, 4, and 5 in Gídígbo III, enthusiastic voters could be seen expressing their delight at being able to exercise their rights to vote. Some of the voters who spoke to this reporter commended the electoral officers for being professional and echoed the peaceful nature of the exercise.

As at 9:30am, when this reporter is leaving for the Oke-Oba axis of Iwo, the general atmosphere was calm and peaceful, with voters exercising their rights without any form of confrontations.