The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Osun Rerun

  • Breaking: Osun gov closes case at tribunal after 11 witnesses

    *APC to open defence, Feb 6

    Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola has closed his defence before the state’s governorship election tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

    Oyetola, who is the second respondent in the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, closed his case on Tuesday, after calling 11 witnesses.

    PDP and Adeleke are challenging the outcome of the election won by Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Read Also; Osun tribunal: ‘INEC is allowed to rectify errors in result sheets’

    Oyetola had, on February 1 this year, after calling his 11th witness – Adegboyega Rasaki Adeosunn, who acted as APC’s State Collation Officer during the election, promised to call four more on Monday.

    At the resumption of proceedings on Monday, Oyetola”s lawyer, John Baiyeshea (SAN) told the tribunal that his client did not see any reason to call more witnesses and has decided to close his case.

    Tribunal’s Chairman, Justice Ibrahim Sirajo adjourned to Wednesday for the third respondent, APC to open its defence.

  • Osun rerun: US, UK, EU observers hail INEC

    Representatives of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States who were observers at the just-concluded Osun governorship elections have blamed security agencies for interference.

    They, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the exercise.

    The missions expressed concerns over “widespread incidents of interference and intimidation of voters, journalists and civil society” during the exercise in a joint statement in Abuja.

    “Delegations from the Missions of the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States observed the voting in the Osun State re-run election on September 27,” they said.

    “We once again commend the vast majority of the voters in the state for exercising their democratic rights peacefully.

    “In contrast to our overall findings on the vote of September 22, we were concerned to witness widespread incidents of interference and intimidation of voters, journalists, and civil society observers by some political party supporters and security agencies,” they added.

    They said many of their findings mirror those of leading civil society groups that observed the election.

    They added: “We commend the work of INEC leadership during both elections.

    “But it is clear that the neutrality of the security services and responsible conduct by party agents, both inside and outside polling units, will be essential to ensure free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in 2019.

    “We continue to call for calm from all stakeholders and urge that any challenges to the election result be made through peaceful and lawful means.

    “We restate our position of firm neutrality among all parties and candidates.

    “We remain committed to supporting the Nigerian people in seeing free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections.”

  • Osun Rerun: Stop issuing threats, go to court – APC tells PDP

    The APC Campaign Council for the Osun governorship election has advised the PDP to stop issuing threats and take full advantage of the democratic process if it has any grouse with Thursday’s supplementary election result.

    In a statement issued in Osogbo, the Chairman of the Council’s Media Committee, Alhaji Lai Mohammed expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the supplementary election .

    Mohammed who is also the Minister of Information and Culture said with the results, the people had emphatically pitched their tent with the ruling party.

    ”When the PDP led in the main election, which was declared inconclusive, we did not threaten fire and brimstone, neither did we drag the international community into it.

    “We simply went along with the prescribed process. We urge the PDP to emulate this,” he said.

    The chairman congratulated the Governor-elect, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, the outgoing Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the entire APC family for the “well deserved but hard-earned victory”.

    He, also, commended INEC and the security agencies “for a largely peaceful and orderly election, as attested to by local and international observers”

    He called on INEC and the security agencies to ensure that the “PDP thugs, fake observers and vote buyers” who were arrested during the rerun were all brought to justice expeditiously.

    Read Also: Osun: Oyetola will build on Aregbesola’s legacies -APC

    The chairman noted that the biggest winner in the whole election saga is democracy.

    He gave the credit to the people of Osun as well as the ruling APC, which did not hesitate to submit to the democratic process despite the high stakes.

    ”As we said in an earlier statement, the PDP, in its time, would not have given any room for a rerun as it would have hijacked the main election, with its brigandage, rigging and total disdain for the democratic process.

    ”But as a party of change, we believe strongly in the democratic process.

    “We believe in the ability of the relevant institutions to carry out their assigned responsibilities and we believe in the ability of the people to do what is right.

    ”In the end, the good people of Osun did what is right by ensuring the shellacking of the PDP,” he said

    The chairman stressed that the Osun electorates had done the right thing in voting the APC, considering the impressive performance of the party’s led government in the state in the last eight years.

  • APC wins in Ife South, Ife North councils

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) won in the supplementary election held in three units of Ife North and Ife South local governments on Thursday.

    At Unit 12, Ward 7, Adereti Village, Olode, Ife South Local Government, the party polled 283 votes to defeat Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which got 15 votes.

    At Oyere village, Unit 2, Ward 10, Ife North Local Government, APC garnered 126 votes while PDP polled two votes.

    Similarly, at Unit 10, Ward 8, Osi, Ife South Local Government, APC scored 172 to beat PDP which polled 21 votes. The two parties were the top contenders in the election.

    At Olode village, there was a large turnout of voters and the exercise started at 8:00 am as slated. But the polling unit was besieged by huge number of politicians and hoodlums thereby creating tension at a stage in spite of the presence of heavy security.

    The exercise, however, went peacefully. Sorting started at 2:02 pm and was followed by counting.
    Voters had defied the rain which started at about 9:30 am. Most of them stayed in the rain, maintaining their positions in the long queues.

    A total of 812 voters registered at the Olode polling unit but only 310 votes. Of the lot, six votes were voided.

    The crowd of voters and politicians left the polling unit satisfied.

    Security agencies represented at the venue included Soldiers, Navy, Police, Immigration, Civil defence and the DSS.

  • APC floors PDP in Osogbo

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced result in Unit 17, Ward 5, Osogbo.

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) scored 299 votes.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 165 votes.

    The final result was announced at 3.48pm.

  • APC wins Orolu rerun election

    The APC has won the rerun election in two out of the three units were it held in Orolu local govt area of Osun state.

    In Ward 8 unit 1, the ruling party polled a total of 111, PDP got 03 votes. Others are ACD 01; void 03.

    In Ward 8 unit 4

    APC 128; PDP 55, PPA 1; SDP 1 ; PPC 4; ADP 1; ADP 1. VOID 4

    But the PDP won in

    WARD 9 UNIT 3, polling 64 votes to
    APC’s 41

    DPC got 01, and one vote voided.

    The election in the three units, all located in the belly of Orolu forest, was generally peaceful.

    As early as 7:30am, voters had trooped out to participate in the exercise.

    The presence of heavily armed security personnel, drawn from the military; DSS; police, Civil defence, FRSC among others, helped ensure sanity.

    Voters and party agents praised the presence of the security personnel. They denied being intimidated by security personnel or political thugs in the ongoing rerun election in Orolu LGA.

    Raheem Alan, a PDP agent in Ward 9 Unit 3, told The Nation that although voters were initially delayed at the entry point to the voting arena, it was for security reasons. “Once the security personnel were convinced nobody came to the voting arena with any form of dangerous weapons they allowed us into the arena freely,” he said.

    Olaniyi Tairu, APA agent said there is not a single threat by security personnel. “In fact, we need them more here; they are protecting us.”
    In similar vein, Nimota Kolawole ACD agent in the unit, said tales of intimidation or prevention of people from voting are all lies. “Nobody has been denied voting right here; I have been here since 7:30am. Please don’t believe such stories.” she explained.

    Kolawole said initially the community was apprehensive on sighting the heavy presence of security personnel. He however said realising their presence was for their security, they calmed down and trooped out to vote.

    “What happened on Saturday cannot be allowed to happen today. We thank the security officers here,” she submitted.

  • Osun rerun: Thugs attack journalists, destroy TV cameras

    Suspected thugs attacked three journalists in Alekuwodo, Osogbo, where the rerun election is ongoing in Unit 17, Ward 5.

    The journalists said they were on their way to the unit when the thugs attacked them.

    The incident occurred at a junction near the polling unit which was cordoned off by security personnel.

    The journalists, attached to Kaftan Television, said they wanted to get a situation report when the thugs struck.

    Two of their cameras and a tripod were damaged.

    One of the cameramen, Joel Chima, said a thug brought out a machete to attack him.

    It took the quick intervention of a policeman who shot into the air to save him.

    It was a close shave with death as the thugs descended on him; his lips were bloodied as he spoke with a shaky voice.

    Read Also: Osun poll: PDP agent missing at polling unit in Ife LG

    He said: “When we arrived, my reporter said I should get an aerial shot. Then I saw a group of people fighting.

    “Before I knew what was happening, they started running after me. I tried to run away with my camera. They started beating me.

    “They collected my phones as I lay on the ground and damaged my camera.

    “One of them brought out a sparkling machete to attack me but a policeman shot into the air at that point and they fled.

    “I thank God for saving my life. I don’t know why they attacked me. We had not even recorded anything.”

    The reporter, Love Oyedokun, said she and her other colleague were also attacked.

    “They hit me on the head. It was a terrible experience,” she said.

  • Osun rerun: Commotion in Osogbo unit over gunshots

    There was commotion at Unit 17, Ward 5 in Osogbo where a rerun election is taking place.

    Everything was calm until about 11.50am when gunshots rang out.

    The sounds came from behind a building near the polling unit.

    But a policeman said the gunshots came from across the road.

    It started with what sounded like fireworks.

    As more shots rang out, voters on queue, electoral observers and journalists scampered for safety.

    The Police shot into the air in response and everyone around took cover under roofs and behind buildings.

    The Police said they were on the alert and that the shots may have been fired by thugs trying to gain access to the unit.

    The electoral officers have resumed the polling process and voters have returned to the queues.

    Voting is still ongoing and the early morning downpour has been replaced with mild sunshine.

    Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Osogbo Branch chairman Bamidele Ajibade said he heard real gunshots before police responded.

    He said he was informed that the Police are in hot pursuit of the hoodlums who may have fired the shots.

    No one sustained injuries although there is uneasy calm in the unit.

  • Osun rerun: No cause for alarm, says REC

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun State Mr Olusegun Agbaje has assured voters of their safety during the ongoing re-run election.

    He said adequate security arrangements have been made to ensure maximum security.

    Agbaje urged voters in the affected units to come out and vote.

    Addressing reporters in Unit 17, Ward 5 in Osogbo where a re-run is taking place, he said the turnout has been impressive.

    “From what I’ve seen here, the process is very calm. The arrangement is quite in order. I believe that by the grace of God everything will end well. There’s no problem. There’s no cause for alarm.”

    Read Also: Osun re-run: Drama at polling units as voters defy heavy rainfall

    On the turnout of voters, he said: “This is just seven minutes after eight and you can see the queues. I believe more people will still come.

    “There will be no problem. We have enough security, so nobody will come and snatch our ballot boxes here.”

    National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Coordinator in Osun, Mr Emmanuel Attah, said his members serving as ad-hoc staff should be better protected.

    He said some corps members were harassed last Saturday, with some held hostage by thugs in their units.

    “We should go beyond this type of election in Nigeria. Thuggery will not move us forward.

    “Security is very tight today and I’m hoping for the best,” Attah said.

  • Osun re-run: Drama at polling units as voters defy heavy rainfall

    There was mild drama at Polling Unit 17, Ward 5, Adewale Street, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, when voters that came out to participate in the Osun governorship re-run election refused to quit the queue in spite of a heavy downpour.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election process started at 8 a.m. on Thursday but at around 9:12 a.m., there was heavy downpour which halted the process.

    The sudden rainfall had everybody running for cover but voters already on the voting queue, who initially ran for cover, quickly returned when they noticed that others who refused to take cover had moved forward to replace them.

    Read Also: Osun Decides 2018: APC, PDP battle in rerun election (Live Updates)

    By the time the rain subsided, all the voters on the queue were already drenched.

    The voting, however, continued at 9:30 a.m. when everyone (INEC staff, security, media men and others) had returned to their posts.

    Earlier, some middle-aged men and an elderly woman who came with Permanent Voter Cards from another unit, had attempted to cast their votes but were disallowed by vigilant security and party agents.