With nearly all the local council election results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was in a comfortable lead and set to be declared winner of the Osun State governorship election.
His closest rival, Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the incumbent, trailed closely as of press time.
There was a massive turn out of voters yesterday as the election was held across 30 local councils in the state.
Against all expectations that the election might be marred by violence, there was relative peace, as residents exercised their civic responsibility without any untoward events or molestation.
Voters arrived the polling units as early as 7a.m for the election that commenced by 9a.m in most polling units.
Ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived at most of the polling units by 8a.m but had to wait till 9a.m to commence the exercise.
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Some of the candidates who contested the election commended the massive turn-out of the electorate, describing it as peaceful.
Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cast his vote at Polling Unit 9, Ward 2, Abegunde/Sagbe, Ede North Local Council at about 8:45a.m. Afterwards, he expressed confidence that he was going to defeat Governor Gboyega Oyetola and urged his supporters to calm down till the results were counted and officially announced.
Adeleke implored his supporters who ran after his convoy after voting to return to the polling centre, stating that INEC may cancel his votes as campaign activities had stopped hours ago. He described the exercise as peaceful and fantastic.
Osun State Governor and candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola cast his vote at Ward 1, unit 2, Local Authority Primary School, Popo, Iragbiji.
Oyetola, who expressed hope of victory at the poll, said he was satisfied with the election conduct. “I have seen the presence of security agencies, they are doing well. I see the enthusiasm that voters are displaying to want to cast their votes, I am particularly very grateful to them. I believe that shows that people are conscious of the need to participate in the process. Once the process is fair enough, people will be persuaded to vote. There won’t be voter apathy. This is indeed very impressive,” he said.
Also, the Deputy Governor of the State, Benedict Alabi was accredited at 10:31am at his ward 6 unit 7, Baptist Day School, Ikire and voted at 10:32 am. He adjudged the process as peaceful and orderly, while commending the impressive turn out.
Governorship candidate of Accord Party, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, also expressed delight at the turn out of voters in his hometown, Ile-Ogbo, Ayedire Local Council.
Addressing journalists after casting his vote at Ward 5, Unit 3, Methodist Primary School, Ile-Ogbo, he said the process had been peaceful so far. “The turnout has been massive and impressive and the report across the state shows that it has been peaceful,” the candidate said.
Meanwhile, while the electorate waited with bated breath for INEC to announce the election results, the state chapter of the PDP claimed an early victory, affirming that collated results from the polling units confirmed PDP was emerging victorious at the poll.
