Though, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had not officially declared him the winner, as of the time of filing this report, results available to Sunday Tribune showed that he won in about nine local governments councils out of 10 local governments constituting Osun West.
But, the electoral body, which officially announced the result of Iwo Local Government, believed to be one of the strongest strongholds of the All Progressives Congress (APC) declared that the PDP polled 12, 547 votes, while APC trailed behind with 12,205 votes.
Other local governments won by the PDP include Irewole, Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, Olaoluwa.
The by-election was held in a relatively peaceful atmosphere, except the arrest of suspected thugs in Egbedore Local Government Area of the state.
Earlier in the day, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mudashiru Hussain and Adeleke both expressed the hope of winning the election.
The two candidates, who spoke with newsmen while casting their votes in their respective polling units, said they had what it takes to win the election.
Adeleke, who cast his vote at Abogunde Unit 9, Ward 2 in Ede North Local Government, said the massive turnout of the electorate was a strong signal that he would be victorious.
“I feel great to be the candidate of the PDP in this by-election. My morale is very high and I am so confident that victory shall be ours.
“The support is overwhelming and today is the day. I am 100 per cent confident of victory.
“As you can see, it rained this morning before the voting commenced. This is a signal of the fact that I will carry the day.
“With this large turnout also, it is unarguable that I will beat Hussein hands down by God’s grace,” he said.
Adeleke commended the electorate for coming out en mass to vote and thanked INEC for conducting a hitch-free election and the various security operatives for ensuring a peaceful environment.
The APC candidate, Hussain, said his achievement while he was in the Senate, would give him victory in the election.
“I want to commend the electorate for coming out in large number and I also want to commend INEC for the peaceful process.
“This process has shown that INEC has improved tremendously.”
Hussain, who represented the District between 2011 and 2015, said the report I am getting from the field is very encouraging and the turnout is an indication that people want me back in the senate.
“My achievements while in the senate will speak for me.”
Suspected thugs arrested
Meanwhile, no fewer than three suspected political thugs have been arrested by the Osun State Police command for allegedly unleashing mayhem at Igbokiti Unit, Ward 10, Okinni, Egbedore local government council.
Sunday Tribune authoritatively gathered that the thugs, who invaded the polling unit with dangerous weapons attacked voters and some adhoc electoral officers with cutlasses.
Some of the people, waiting to cast their votes were matcheted as everybody ran helter skelter to avoid being caught up the violence.
However, the police were able to arrest three of the suspects and they have been detained.
Confirming the arrest to Sunday Tribune, during a telephone chat, Osun State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye said, “it is true we arrested three suspected thugs in Egbedore and their case is currently under investigation.”
He, however, said that “with our vigilance and commitment to ensure peaceful conduct of the exercise, we are very happy that there is peace and there is no significant problem and we will sustain the peace and effective security till the end and even after the entire electoral process.”
Fimihan, reiterated that “we would not hesitate to deal ruthlessly with anybody, who may want to thwart the process, irrespective of status, religious or political affiliation.”
Good turnout
In some of the communities visited by Sunday Tribune to monitor the election, there were sizable crowd of people, on the queue, waiting to be accredited before casting their votes.
Voting materials from INEC arrived at almost all the polling units and centres early enough, thus making easier for the process to commence in good time.
When our correspondent visited Awo, a community in Egbedore local government area of the state around 8.25am, many of the voters were being accredited as a corps member, who is the supervisor for the polling unit1, Miss Oyeyode Sherifat said “the process is okay for now. We have just started as you can see.”
She added that “the card reader, being used at the polling was working perfectly for now. And many people are waiting on the queue to be accredited and cast their votes.”
At Ede, the country home of the PDP candidate the atmosphere was peaceful and many residents thronged polling units and centres to participate in the exercise.
When our correspondent got to Odeomu, in Ayedaade local government, many voters were seen, casting their votes.
In a brief chat with newsmen, the former Minister for Youth Development, Senator Olasunkanmi Akinlabi, who is an indigene of Odeomu tasked the INEC to sustain the standard and credibility of electoral institution bequeathed to the commission by the immediate past administration.
The National Conscience Party (NCP) agent at Alajue 1, Ward 4, Unit 10, Mr Abdullai Adewale, commended INEC for arriving at the polling unit on time.
Adewale said the process had been peaceful and smooth.
“For now, the process is free and fair and I hope it will continue till the end of the day,” he said.
Security was beefed up on major roads in the affected local government areas where the election was taking place.
The election did not affect Osogbo, the state capital, and shops as well as markets were open for business activities.
Although 12 political parties are contesting in the bye- election, the two major contenders are the PDP and APC.
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