LG Poll:Labour Party Candidate Alleged Fraud As OSSIEC Blame Police Disruption

Allegations of electoral irregularities have surfaced in Osogbo Local Government in the ongoing Local government election.

The Labour Party Chairmanship candidate Barrister Bode Babalola, raised concerns over suspected already thumbprinted ballot paper in his polling units.

Speaking to journalists in his polling unit Babalola claimed that as of 9:30 a.m., no electoral officers were present at the polling station.

He alleged, upon their arrival, ballot papers had already been thumbprinted.

According to him “When I came here in the morning, the place was empty. However, I later received information that some powerful PDP men had called OSSIEC officials to a meeting. I also discovered that in Units 7 and 16, ballot boxes had already been filled up ,” Babalola stated.

He further claimed that when he challenged the officials, they defended the process by saying voting had begun as early as 7:00 a.m.

However, he argued that no voters could have legally cast their ballots at that time.

Meanwhile, despite the allegations, PDP Ward 7 Secretary, Kasali Nurudeen Olalekan, described the election in same polling unit as peaceful and well-organized.

According to him, OSSIEC officials arrived on time, and voting commenced by 8:00 a.m. with party agents verifying election materials before the process began.

“The election went smoothly, and the electorate came out to vote for their preferred candidates without violence,” Olalekan stated.

However, some voters alleged that election did not hold in their polling unit but Worldgist Media confirmed that the election had concluded earlier than expected.

Chairman, Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Hashim Abioye also has called out the Nigeria Police Force for arresting staff of the commission who are on election duty across the state.

In a statement signed by the chairman he commended the electorates for coming out to exercise their right.

Hashim appealed to the media community for the inability of the commission to provide accreditation materials, stating that it was because the Police had sealed off OSSIEC head office where the material were kept.

He maintained that for the units where material didn’t arrive early, it was due to Police arrest of the officials conveying the materials adding that new materials have been deployed and voting is now ongoing.