#OsunDecides: Large turnout in Ife, Omisore votes, decries irregularities vote-buying, wins polling unit with wide margin

THERE was a large turn out of voters in Ife, as the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, on Saturday morning, cast his vote at his Moore Ward 001, comprising of Units 3 and 4, in Ile-Ife at Ife East Local Government Area of Osun State.

Omisore, who arrived his polling unit located inside the St. Gabriel Primary School 1, at 11:10 a.m., in company of his wife, Mojisola, queued to take his turn to be accredited, while he cast his ballot at exactly 11:25 a.m.

Addressing the media shortly after voting, Omisore expressed his reservations over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) preparedness, as he faulted the slow take off of the voting process.

He lamented what he termed “irregularities” in the conduct of the exercise, alleging that there were insufficient electoral materials in some polling units in Osogbo.

Omisore expressed concerns on the proficiency and quality of the INEC card readers which he said were malfunctioning in some polling units in Ile-Ife, alleging that INEC had not done his home work very well before the Election Day.

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He also raised the alarm over incidences of vote-buying, which he said feelers had attested to was the situation in some voting units in the state, with some instances he said had been established.

He, however, urged the electorate to keep on performing their civic responsibility and refrain from any act that could affect the free conduct of the exercise.

Omisore warned the electorate against giving in to any act that could jeopardise their future, saying, no matter the amount of money they cellect in selling their votes, it is a seed sown for a regrettable future.

He also spoke against vote buying, as he urged voters to desist from vote-selling and buying, which he said could amount to selling their future.

Meanwhile, election ended at Moore Ward 001 at around 4:00 p.m., while the vote sorting and counting commended, with Omisore later delivering his voting unit with a wide margin.

The returning officer announcing the result said, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate polled 375 votes, while his closest rival, the All Progressives Alliance (APC) candidate, Mr Gboyega Oyeyiga, polled 66 votes.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, polled 21 votes, the Action Democratic Party (ADP) candidate, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, polled nine votes, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC), candidate, Alhaji Fatai Adeoti, polled six votes.

At Unit 4, Omisore, SDP, polled 359 votes, Oyetola, APC, polled 69 votes, Adeleke, PDP, polled 23 votes, Akinbade, ADP, polled two votes and Adeoti, ADC got one vote.

With the total votes of Moore Ward 001, Units 3 and 4, Omisore, SDP, polled SDP 734 votes, Oyeyiga, APC 135 votes, Adeleke, PDP 44 votes, Adeoti, ADP 10 votes and Akinbade, ADC 10 votes.

The election generally was considered peaceful at the Ife Federal Constituency comprising four local government areas, as people trooped out in large numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice, but with the Ife-born Omisore seemed to be better favoured to win the local council areas with unofficial results released thus far.

Voters at Ife Central Local Government Area, with headquarters located in Ile-Ife, as early as 7:00 a.m. began to come out in popular areas like Ilare, Iremo, Moore, Ojaja, Akarabata, Aba Coker, Eleyele, Ilode, Okerewe and Opa, for accreditation and voting, while same was the situation at Ife East Local Government Area, as voters from Oke-Ogbo, Okerewe, Yekemi, Ilode and Moore came out to perform their franchise.

In Ife North Local Governmet Area comprising of Ipetumodu, Edunabon, Moro, Yakoyo, Ipetu, Ashipa, Akinlalu, Famia, Oyere, Alawiye, Amoloye, Amula Orile, Apesibiti, Balogun-Obiribiri, Isule, Lamba-Agbere, Morayin, voters also performed their civic duties, and no major reports of irregularity was heard of.

The people of Ife-South Local Governmet Area at Ifetedo, Ikija, Ogudu, Ayesan, Aare, Aaye, Abiri, Aye-Amodo, Kere, Mefoworade, Oke-Owena, Gbengbeleku, Olode, Dagbolu, Daranjo, Gborogboro, Ijimakin, Jaaran, and other adjoining villages also came out to cast their votes for their choice candidates, as the election was also generally adjudged peaceful in these areas.

Meanwhile, at Sekona, Ward 8, Unit 2, in Ede, the home base of the PDP’s candidate, Ademola Adeleke, he got 219 votes, Oyetola, APC polled 53 votes, while Omisore, SDP received 40 votes.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Benue State, Mr Nentawe Yilwatda, speaking with Sunday Tribune, in Ile-Ife, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the electoral body on the conduct of the election.

According to him, the election was planned by INEC to be free and fair, while he expressed hope that the results will be announced without compromising standards, noting that INEC is not a partisan body and will do it’s work without favour or bias.