From John Dike, Osogbo

Osun state Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and his immediate predecessor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola on Saturday exercised their franchise at the State House of Assembly election organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senator Adeleke cast his vote at Sagba Abogunde 2, Ward 2, Unit 9 in his polling booth at Ede in Ede North Local Government Area, while Oyetola voted at Unit 10, Ward 1, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area, both in Osun state.

Speaking to newsmen, Adeleke expressed dissatisfaction with the reported low turnout of voters, just as he appealed to residents of the state to come out and exercise their civic rights, assuring them of safety and security.

The Governor said: “You are still at home? Come out now and use your PVC as a democrat. It is safe outside. Exercise your right to vote and be voted for.

“Don’t be scared and abandon your right to vote. Security agencies are available to ensure that your vote and my vote count. I have issued relevant directives to service commanders to secure lives and property as we all vote today.

“I need you, good people of Osun state, to vote massively. If you love democracy and good governance, stand up now and face your polling units.”

Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Osun State, Kola Adewusi, blamed the low turnout of voters on the misinformation that voting will commence by 12noon instead of 8am.

He said: “I have received some reports that in some areas in Ile-Ife, ballot boxes were snatched. But so far so good, I can talk on my polling unit at Enuwa unit 1 where the l voted that all is calm.”

Adewusi, who similarly lauded the electorates for being peaceful and orderly while waiting to cast their votes, attributed their act of civility to the high level of security arrangement put on ground with a view to ensuring that those who may want to be a clog in the wheel of the progress of the election are checkmated and brought to book in line with the provisions of the law.

He said: “People have been conducting themselves peacefully so far in Ile-Ife with the help of security personnel manning all the nooks and crannies of the town.

“I want to tell you that I am immensely impressed and elated with the peaceful atmospheric situation of things in Ile-Ife, during the on going state House of Assembly elections.

While confirming some pockets of violence in Ife Central and its environs, the deputy governor quickly allayed the fears of the people of Ile-Ife that the situation has been brought under complete control with the prompt arrival of security personnel to the troubled areas in the ancient city.

He, however, acknowledged that there was a low turn out of voters when placed side by side with the last Presidential and National Assembly elections which recorded an impressively large turnout of voters.

In a related development, the immediate past Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has enjoined officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to buckle-up and prevent anything capable of leading to over-voting in any polling unit of the state.

Oyetola who commended the electoral umpire for its diligence, said it was incumbent on the Commission to resist any temptation capable of compromising and marring the standard of the electoral process in the ongoing legislative election in the state.

He, however, decried voters’ apathy and pockets of violence that characterised the election in parts of the state, urging residents to resist the antics of some politicians and troop out enmasse to exercise their civic responsibility.

The former Governor stated these while fielding questions from journalists shortly after he and his wife cast their votes on Saturday, at Unit 10, Ward 1, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area of the state.

Oyetola, who arrived his polling unit alongside his wife around 10:30am, expressed serious concerns on the serial attacks being launched on voters, particularly loyalists of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), in some parts of the state.

He listed some Local Government Areas where the challenges are being experienced to include Osogbo, Olorunda, Ilesa-West, Ilesa-East, Atakunmosa West and Atakunmosa East as well as Councils in Ife axis.

He, therefore, called on security agencies and other concerned authorities to swing into action and address the menace.

He wondered how miscreants and political hoodlums would be freely attacking the electorate on the day-of-election without check, saying such devilish act must be curtailed before it snowballs into something else as such could prevent voters from coming out to vote.

Oyetola who attributed the palpable voter’s apathy that characterised the House of Assembly election to incessant violent attacks, intimidation and extra judicial killings and maiming of innocent residents in the last three months, said it had become imperative for the security agencies to immediately rise to the occasion and bring the perpetrators to book.

According to him: “The turnout is not impressive at all. I heard of report of pockets of violence in some parts of the state. I heard of Osogbo, Ife, Ilesa, Atakunmosa East and Atakunmosa West. I learnt that PDP thugs are molesting voters, particularly members of our party.

“Yes, I must commend the security agencies for rising up to the occasion but that is not enough, if we don’t guarantee the security, people will not want to go out and vote, and this will hinder the turnout. As you can see, the present turnout cannot be compared with what we had the last time.

“As I commend the security operatives for doing a good job, so also, the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Looking at what we have experienced here, it shows that they are doing very well. I can testify to this polling unit where I voted.

“I pray and I hope that we will not have cause to experience over-voting in any polling unit. It is a common knowledge that over voting takes place only when there’s a compromise in one way or the other.

“I want to enjoin INEC officials to ensure proper accreditation. If anybody doesn’t go through it, he or she shouldn’t be allowed to vote. We are looking forward to a very peaceful exercise. Like I said, the turnout is not too impressive.”