The Osun State Local Government election has commenced and it is taking place across accredited polling units in the state.
This is coming barely 24 hours after the state government under the leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola declared Friday, 14th of October, 2022 as a work-free day as part of preparations for the local government election slated to hold this Saturday.
Recall that two months ago, Otunba Segun Oladitan, the Chairman Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) confirmed that the local government elections in the state would be conducted on the 15th day of October, 2022.
The Chairman of Inter Party Advisory Council in the state, Simeon Adebayo on August 26, 2022 while addressing newsmen in Osogbo said sixteen political parties in Osun state have disclosed their readiness to participate in the local government election the State Independence Electoral Commission, OSIEC, slated for October 15.
However, the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC), Segun Oladitan on Thursday told media that the Osun local government election would go on as planned and only one party had signified intention to contest in the poll.
Against all odds, the state government through her information commissioner announced restrictions on movements across the state on Saturday from 7am to 3pm for eligible voters to come out enmasse and vote for their preferred choice.
Here are 10 (ten) things you probably do not know about the Osun LG council election as gathered by WITHIN NIGERIA;
1) The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) on the 15th of August, 2022 announced that it will conduct the local council elections on 15th October, 2022.
2) The main opposition party in the state, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed a court application challenging the legality of the council election in August and cited that the planned LG poll will plunge state into debts.
3) On 15th of September, 2022, a Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun state granted application by the Peoples Democratic Party seeking to amend its earlier suit instituted against the October 15 local government election in the state as it pends the injunction OSIEC sought for.
4) On the 7th of October, 2022, the Action Peoples Party (APP) dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Osun State Electoral Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) before a Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, over the election.
5) Only the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) registered for the council election.
6) There was slow start in the processes of local council election as OSIEC (Commission responsible for election) officers resumed late.
7) Low turn-out of voters in polling units this reporter visited within Ilesa metropolis. Reports from other areas also revealed that there was a very low turn-out of voters.
8) The ballot paper used for the LG poll has no party logos and it only has two columns for ‘YES or NO’.
9) In polling units this reporter visited, eligible voters who came to polling booths to vote were mainly members of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and apologists
10) Majority of voters who participated in the exercise are old and aged people.
11) Unverifiable sources claimed that there was massive thumbprinting of ballot papers by some OSIEC officers in some polling units.
12) There was no tool to detect fake voter’s card and absence of security operatives in some polling units this reporter visited.
However, WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the non-participation of other political parties caused the low turn-out.
A stand-by citizen identified as Ayodeji when asked why he did not cast his vote said the election is not competitive and sees the exercise as a waste of time.
He added that if other political parties had participated, it would have made it interesting and exciting.
People would want their preferred candidate to emerge. Either we vote or not, there is an unannounced winner already. Why should we vote then, a rather confused Ayodeji asked.
Few meters away from one of the polling units, there is a BetNaija shop which housed a number of young people who should be more than 18 years old.
When this reporter peeped, he saw 10 young guys sitting on two benches while others are busy predicting games.
