Some electorate in Osun have berated the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) for the poor conduct of the Local Government Area (LGA) election in the state.
The electorate, on Saturday, stated that ad hoc staff of the commission were absent from most of the polling units during the election period, preventing them from exercising their civic rights.
Mrs. Tinumola Tijani, an electorate, who spoke at Unit 11, Ward 3, Asubuaro, Osogbo, said it was unfortunate that she could not cast her vote.
Tijani, who arrived at her polling unit before 9:00 a.m. to vote, said there was no staff of the commission to assist her.
She stated that the election fell below the expectations of the electorate in the state.
Another electorate, Mr. Yemi Akindele, who noted that no OSSIEC ad hoc staff were available to assist voters at Unit 17, Ward 4, Cele Junction, Owode-Ede, described the election as a jamboree.
Akindele said he left home early to cast his vote but found no one at the polling unit to help him.
“This is unfortunate. What kind of election is this? I am highly disappointed,” he said.
There were no OSSIEC staff present in most of the polling units visited in Ife, Osogbo, Obokun, Owode-Ede, and other areas.
In Ede, the hometown of the governor, the situation was somewhat different.
In some of the polling units visited, electorate were seen with OSSIEC ad hoc staff assisting them.
At Obalaoye Grammar School, Unit 2, Ward 4, some voters were seen in line at 8:00 a.m., waiting to cast their votes.
Additionally, Oloba Atapara Unit 6, Ward 1, saw a small turnout of electorate waiting to be accredited and vote.
During the election, many residents defied the restriction on vehicular movement, which was set from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., as vehicles were seen moving freely.
Many traders and shop owners also opened their businesses.
By 10:30 a.m., the election had ended in most of the polling units visited.
(NAN)
