The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OSUN

  • APC faults PDP on annoucement of results

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the petition by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun State gubernatorial election, Senator Iyiola Omisore to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the declaration of the result of the exercise.

    APC in a statement said it is exceedingly ridiculous, dishonest and mischievous of the  Iyiola Omisore Orgnisation to attempt to discredit the outcome of the governorship election.

    ” Against the background of the obvious and undeniable victory of the APC in the election, the statement is clearly an attempt to prepare the ground for the perversion of the results and the reversal of the expressed will of the people,” APC stated.

    ” The claim by the PDP that the APC has been declaring fake results and directing its members to commence celebrations across the state defies all logic and reason.

    ” The Osun state governorship election has been the most publicized, reported and observed in the history of Nigeria.

    ” The Independent National Electoral Commission responsible for conducting the election is a Federal Government agency.

    ” In an unprecedented manner, the Federal Government militarized the state for this election deploying thousands of soldiers, policemen, Department of state security agencies among several others for the purpose of this election.

    ” The APC does not control any of these security agencies. Many of these agents wore no name tags, covered their faces with masks, drove menacingly on highways across the state and shot arbitrarily into the air all in a bid to instill fear into the people. Hundreds of leader of the APC were arrested, intimidated, harassed and molested before and during the election.

    ” The people of Osun state refused to be intimidated by this abnormal level of militarization. They came out massively throughout the state to cast and defend their votes in favour of their choice. The process was intensively, openly and exhaustively covered by the print and electronic media, the international press, local and international observers.

    ” In this age of Information technology, it was an election conducted in the full view of the entire world. Voters were accredited accordingly. They cast their votes freely and fairly. The results were counted, recorded and declared at the various polling units throughout the state in accordance with the Electoral Act.

    ” As the results were announced at the various polling units, the people spontaneously started celebrating across the state. It is obviously comical, unrealistic and unserious to claim that such tumultuous jubilations were induced by the APC. The question is – why couldn’t the PDP induce such spontaneous jubilation if it truly won the election as it claims? It is impossible for anybody to announce fake results which are a departure from the expressed will of the people at the polling units.

    ” The will of the people has so obviously triumphed in Osun. The PDP cannot change the reality. It is noteworthy that the spokesman of the Iyiola Omisore Organisation, Mr Diran Odeyemi, who issued the statement was defeated in the polling unit where he voted. We warn the PDP against any plan to distort and pervert the will of the people.

    ” The consequences will be too gruesome to consider. What is critical is that the process must be free, fair, credible and transparent. It has been so thus far. We call on the people of Osun state to remain steadfast and vigilant in defense of their sacred mandate.

    ” As a party we remain firmly and irrevocably committed to the tenets of democracy, liberty and the rights of the people, ” APC said

  • Osun: Collated LGAs results

    Osun: Collated LGAs results

    Osun Governorship election result

    Ilesha East – APC 16,116 PDP 5,913

    Ilesha West – APC 15427 PDP 5,449

    Atakumosa West – 6,128 PDP 5,142

    Irepodun – APC 13,314 PDP 7,386

    Ede South – APC 11,738 PDP 7,462

    Boripe – APC 12,657 PDP 9,172

    Atakumosa East – APC 9,134 PDP 6,293

    Ede North – APC 15,403 PDP 10,427

    Ifelodun – APC 17,447 PDP 12,476

    Iwo – APC 21,093 PDP 15,435

    Oriade – APC 12,523 PDP 10,214

    Ejigbo – APC 9,942 PDP 4,422

    Odo Otin- APC 11,950 PDP 12,902

    Irewolede – APC 18,328 PDP 10,330

    Ife Central – APC 9,680 PDP 24,555

    Aiyedire – APC 7,834 PDP 7,828

    Ila – APC 10,825 PDP 7,916

    Obokun – APC 9,516 PDP 7,577

    Olaoluwa – APC 7,927 PDP 4,913

    Orolu – APC 8,558 PDP 6,786

    Osogbo – APC 39,948 PDP 12,398

    Ife East – APC 13,846 PDP 20,868

    Aiyedade – APC 13,186 PDP 11,306

    Ife North – APC 8,063 PDP 8,542

    Ife South – APC 7,324 PDP 12,811

    Egbedore – APC 10,617 PDP 7,022

     

     

     

    TOTAL

    387, 527 APC

    285, 925 PDP

  • Peaceful poll amidst security siege

    Peaceful poll amidst security siege

    From an atmosphere of palpable tension that later gave way to uneasy calm, people of Osun East senatorial district went to the polls yesterday to choose who will pilot the affairs of the state in the next four years. Defying the intimidating presence of heavily armed security agents, voters trooped out enmasse to exercise their civic responsibility, choosing who will preside over the state in the next four years. In an exercise that was largely peaceful, accreditation exercise started early in most polling units visited without the usual complaints of scarcity or late arrival of electoral materials, as voters conducted themselves peacefully as they exercised their franchise in Ile-Ife, Modakeke, and other adjoining communities under the eagle eyes of security agents.

    At Iremo near ward 3 near Senator Babjide Omoworare’s house in Ile-Ife, voter’s accreditation, which witnessed huge turnout also started early. It was largely peaceful, even though there were unsavoury reports that some thugs suspected to be loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) molested some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially the party agents. While the accreditation was in progress, Aleshinloye Akeem, an agent of APC at unit 17, Oja Tuntun area in Ile-Ife, complained that he was incessantly threatened by PDP thugs who asked him to “cooperate or get killed.” All this went on while policemen attached to the unit feigned ignorance.

    By the time the candidate of the PDP in the election, Iyiola Omisore, drove to unit 3 (ward 1) Moore in Ile-Ife to do his accreditation, he was greeted by a tumultuous crowd of admirers and kinsmen who had gathered to be accredited for the same purpose as well. After waiting in a corner where he seated in the midst of the crowd waiting to cast their vote, the PDP candidate voted around 12.41pm and returned to his country, which is a little far from where he exercised his civic responsibility. Commending the exercise, Omisore praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to high heaven, saying his observation so far has vindicated the electoral commission that it can do a good job. He added that he is not worried by any lapses in the conduct of the poll, saying “there is no way an election like this can be perfect.” He also expressed satisfaction about the attitude of security agents, whom he said had risen to the occasion, adding the heavy presence of security agents is good for our democracy because the state will have descended into “total confusion” without them.

    Similarly, Omoworare expressed satisfaction about the peaceful nature of the exercise, adding “it is so far so good” as at the time of accreditation. He, however, cautioned that the unnecessary clampdown and intimidation of top APC chieftains in the state smacks of tilting the process in favour of the PDP, stressing that any attempt to impose the federal candidate on Osun will be resisted by all means possible by the people of Osun. “It shows that the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan are not good students of history. If they are, they will have known that manipulation of electoral sovereignty of the people contributed to the demise of democracy in the First and the Second Republics. If imposition happens here, we the leaders will not be able to stop our people from defending their rights to choose a leader of their choice,” Omoworare said.

    Trouble was however averted in Modakeke where one Toyese Ajibade, a former youth chairman in the community, sneaked suspiciously into the polling units at St Stephen’s ward 5. It took the extra vigilance of the locals who suspected that Ajibade, who stormed the venue wearing a mask like security agents, was up to some sinister motive. Although tempers flared, residents exercised restraint, refusing to mob him so as not to cause a crisis that could vitiate the votes cast. They however trailed him to a nearby hotel in Modakeke where they pounced on him, only for officials of the Department of State Security (DSS) who promptly came to his rescue and took him away, sparking another wave of further suspicion about Ajibade’s motive. Perhaps that is why Tunji Oyedeji and Oyeyemi Temitope, who were part of the locals that stopped Ajibade from actualising his motive, said that the way and manner DSS officials behaved also raised eyebrows. Curiously too, soldiers that mounted roadblocks in strategic places in Ile Ife, Odeomun, Modakeke, Osogbo and many other communities suddenly disappeared by about 2pm, though the state remained peaceful as at the time of filing this report.

  • Osun: Tight security as INEC begins collation of results

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has  commenced final collation of the results of  Osun Gubernatorial election with the commission’s  headquarters under tight security.

    Already most of the results figures from the  wards are already in but there is no official result until INEC declares its results as collated from the wards and local governments.

    INEC office located on the busy Ede Osogbo road has been a beehive of activities since Thursday but as the electoral commission begins the collation of results, security has been very tight.

    About one kilometers to the office, cars were forced to divert to one lane by stern looking soldiers and other security officials. There were thorough search of cars and motorists were asked specific questions about their mission and destination.

    The Nation correspondent who witnessed the scenario reports that some cars were turned back because the drivers could not satisfactorily answer questions.

    Journalists were directed to park opposite the commission’s office while stringent search was conducted on anyone entering the Commission’s premises.

    Those who could not satisfactorily state their mission were turned back.

  • Jubilation in Osogbo as Aregbesola leads

    Jubilation in Osogbo as Aregbesola leads

  • Aregbesola in early lead

    Aregbesola in early lead

    Early results from various local governments the Osun State governorship election indicate that the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ahead of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Omisore .

    Aregbesola scored 640 votes while Omisore was trailing him with nine votes in the unit where the first civilian governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke normally vote in Ede.

    The PDP deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Adejare Bello, was reported to have lost his polling unit in Ede as PDP scored 30 votes while APC scored 130 votes.

    The State Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa lost in his Olorunda ward 1 GRA as PDP scored 95 votes while APC scored 142 votes.

    In Osogbo ward 8 units 4, APC scored 300 votes while PDP 58 votes, ward 7 unit 14, APC scored 133 votes and PDP scored 20 votes, ward 4 unit 12, APC scored 210 votes, PDP scored 78, ward 4 unit 21, APC scored 139 votes, while PDP scored 46 votes.

    The state deputy governor, Otunba Titilayo Olaoye Tomori, won in her unit in Osogbo.

    In all the units in ward 2 of Ifelodun Local government area, APC had 1,367 votes while PDP polled 861 votes.

    The PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore won most of the polling units in Ife Central local government area like ward 10 unit 3 where PDP scored 140 votes and APC scored 62 votes, ward 3 unit 8, PDP scored 95 votes and APC scored 26 votes, unit 4, PDP scored 100 votes and APC scored 64 votes, unit 11.

    The PDP reportedly scored 34 votes while APC scored 14 votes, unit 2 PDP scored 118 votes while APC scored61 votes. In unit 10, PDP scored 101 votes while APC scored 41 votes, unit 12, PDP scored b108 votes while APC scored 47 votes.

    In Fagbesa street (Unit 013) of the local government, APC won with 253 votes to PDP’s 75.

    APC cleared 217 votes in Fagbewesa/Ataoja ‘D’/ Osogbo (Unit 014) against PDP’s 70.

    In Polling unit 16, Ward 4 in Fagbewesa, APC scored 133 while PDP got 42 votes. In Units 12 and 21of the same ward, APC scored 210 and 139 against PDP’s 78 and 46 respectively.

    Besides, APC swept 236 votes at Ward 12, Jagun (Unit 001), opposite Catholic Church of the same local government.

    Results received from Olorunda Local Government, Ward 12 (Unit 3) shows that APC scored 271 while PDP got 94 votes.

    Also, in Ward 2 (Units 5 and 9) of the same local government, APC scooped 216 and 228 respectively while PDP earned 94 and 127 in the same manner.

    In Ward 4, Unit 10, Alajue area, Ede South Local Government, APC got 188 votes while PDP won 92.

    However, in Odo Otin Local Government Area, Ward 1 (Unit 3) where former PDP National secretary, Olagusoye Oyinlola voted, PDP swept 125 votes against APC’s 61.

    The PDP was reportedly leading in Ile-Ife and its environs.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr Olusegun Agbaje said INEC was yet to conclude the collation of results, saying the results would be formally announced as soon as final collation is made.

    Politicians, election observers and Journalists were however waiting anxiously at the INEC state secretariat for the final results of the election.

  • INEC commends Osun voters

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commended the peaceful and orderly  conduct of the August 9, gubernatorial election in Osun state.

    According to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Osun state, Mr. Segun Agbaje the conduct of the election has been peaceful in the three senatorial zones in the state.
    Agbaje who went on a tour of the three senatorial zones to monitor the conduct of the election said the voters displayed a high level of electoral awareness in the conduct of the election.

    “ We have seen the people waiting patiently to start the process of voting, from Osogbo to Ilesa and Ife, the people understood the system and it shows that democracy is working.”
    The Nation correspondent who went on a tour of the state with INEC officials reported that the REC maintained that accreditation will not end until the last person on the line has been accredited and voting will not end until the last person has voted.
    “ We do not expect anyone to be disenfranchised, we have put everything in place to ensure that everyone who turned out must vote. We thank the people of the state for heeding our call to come and vote in a peaceful and orderly manner,” Agbaje said.
    In Iremo ward 3, Ife Central, the REC commended the voters for orderly conduct and praised the INEC officials for following due process during the election process. In Osogbo, Agbaje who went round different polling units said the conduct of the election was satisfactory.
    “ We expect the process to end very well, we have done everything that is required of us to do for the process to end very well,” he said. However, Agbaje denied that the election was militarized. “ I didn’t see too much of security, we asked for security for the voters and our personnel  and that is what we got, the most important thing is that everyone is safe.”
    The INEC boss said reports of arrests of political leaders did not affect the conduct of the election. On the number of registered political parties, Agbaje said two candidates pulled out. “ Two candidates pulled out, we received their letters but we said it did nto follow due process because no candidate can pull out less than 45 days to the election.”
    He said even though there were 20 political parties registered on the ballot paper, only 18 candidates were eligible for the election.
    While maintaining that it is the primary duty of INEC to educate voters on conduct of election, he said political parties and nongovernmental organizations must also help in educating the voters.
    “The people of Osun are very knowledgeable, they have done well. We did our best regarding voter education but the political parties must also educate their supporters,” Agbaje said.

  • Photos: Osun elections

    Photos: Osun elections

  • Osun: Waiting to vote

    Osun: Waiting to vote

    Waiting to vote
    Waiting to vote
  • Photo: PDP candidate Omisore’s house at 9.30am

    Photo: PDP candidate Omisore’s house at 9.30am

    Omisore's residence
    Omisore’s residence