Osun Election: Voting Ends As Sorting, Counting Of Ballots Begins

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have begun sorting and counting ballot papers at several polling units across Osun State following the conclusion of voting in the ongoing governorship election.

According to Ireporter Online, voters turned out in significant numbers across the state, although the electoral exercise was marked by isolated incidents of violence, allegations of irregularities and technical difficulties in some locations.

Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, cast his ballot in Ede after experiencing delays linked to challenges with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and a faulty ink pad.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji, also exercised his franchise in Ikire and urged voters and other stakeholders to remain peaceful throughout the electoral process.

Some polling units reportedly experienced difficulties with BVAS authentication. In Ife East, Professor Olayinka Ajala was reportedly unable to vote after the accreditation system failed to recognise his face and fingerprint.

The election was also accompanied by allegations of vote buying and other electoral irregularities in some parts of the state.

Meanwhile, the polling unit of African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate Najeem Salaam in Ejigbo reportedly came under attack. Salaam alleged that the incident was specifically targeted at him and claimed that his security personnel intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.

The former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly described the alleged attack as a deliberate and well-planned attempt against his person, saying his strategic movement away from the area prevented the attackers from reaching him.

With voting concluded in several locations, attention has now shifted to the sorting and counting of ballots, after which results are expected to proceed through the prescribed collation process.