TELL Magazine

By Adewale Olayemi

The governorship election in Osun State kicks off Saturday, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC debunks an allegation made by the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP that it had created illegal polling units in the state. The PDP alleged through its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan that extra wards were created in places like Ila-Orangun and Iperin and fictitious voters names added to boost the votes of the All Progressives Congress, APC. 

In what appears like a likely trouble even after the election, Ologbodiyan stated that “The PDP will not accept any result that comes from Iperin if INEC insists on allowing votes in the two Iperin ward‎s.”

But INEC responded by stating that the people of Osun state (should) disregard what it described as “the baseless allegations and false alarm made and raised by the PDP.” 

In a statement by Rotimi Oyekanmi, press secretary to the INEC chairman, the electoral umpire assured the electorate that it will not be involved in any kind of collusion in the exercise. The statement reads in part, “The Commission also wishes to reiterate its determination to ensure that only the votes of the Osun state people, as would be freely expressed in Saturday’s governorship election, will determine who becomes the next governor of the state,”

PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke is one of the major contenders at the election. Other major contenders are Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, Moshood Adeoti of the ADP, Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party, SDP and Fatai Akinbade of the Action Democratic Congress, ADC.