Osun voters today

Gbenro Adesina

Apart from few skirmishes here and there, people of Osun State have commended the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the conduct of the on-going governorship election in the state.

Also commended for being friendly and professional are the security operatives which comprise policemen, soldiers, members of state security.

The electorate who to a large extent complied with the orders of INEC, were impressed with the simultaneous accreditation and voting system stressing that this system ensures that their time was not wasted.

According to an voter, “We are not asked not to hold our telephone set. We are only told not to use it while voting. We are expected to switch it off at the polling booth during voting. This is good”.

However, there were cases regarding mal-functioning of the card readers as some electorate whose thumbs could not be read by the machines were disallowed from voting in some of the polling units in several parts of the state.

In Ede and some units in Egbedore Local Government, some of the card readers malfunctioned but it was gathered that they have been repaired and they are now working perfectly as at the time of filing this report.

The magazine further gathered that women, especially older ones were the majority of the electorate in Iwo who trooped out to vote.

Across the state, security operatives comprising soldiers, policemen and men of the state security were seen politely carrying out stop and search just to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

In Otan Ayegbaju, it was gathered that two fake INEC officials were arrested by the security operatives.

Other areas of the state where reports have it that election was peaceful include: Apomu, Ejigbo and Iwo, where Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, candidate of ADP cast his vote before 12 noon.

Across the polling units, physically challenged, aged and pregnant people were specially attended to.