The Osun State governorship election commenced peacefully on Saturday, with a heavy security presence observed around polling units in parts of the state, according to correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Early Voter Turnout Across Local Government Areas
NAN correspondents monitoring the election in Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Ede North, Boripe, and Osogbo local government areas reported that voters were seen as early as 6:45 a.m. at some polling units.
At Ward D1, Unit 8 in Ilesa West council area, INEC officials were on the ground, while voters checked their names on the pasted voters’ list. The presiding officer at the unit, Segun Adegbaju, said he and other officials arrived at 6:59 a.m.
INEC Officials and Accreditation Process
Similarly, at Ward 8, Unit 3 within the council area, a large number of voters were seen checking their names on the pasted list, while INEC ad hoc staff were also on the ground. The assistant presiding officer, Cestus Akilolu, told voters that accreditation and voting would commence at 8:30 a.m. and end at 2:30 p.m. Mr Akilolu urged voters to remain orderly, assuring them that the process would be peaceful.
At Ward 4, Unit 6, Ede North Local Government Area, INEC ad hoc staff arrived early, and voters also turned out early for the exercise. Also at Ward 4, Unit 6, Abere, Ede North, voters were seen as early as 7 a.m. checking their names on the pasted list, with INEC ad hoc staff on the ground.
Voters Await Officials in Osogbo and Boripe
At Ward 4, Unit 13, Osogbo Local Government Area, voters arrived as early as 6:50 a.m., awaiting electoral officials and voting materials. At Ward 3, Unit 16, Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government Area, voters were also seen waiting for the arrival of electoral officials.
Some voters expressed satisfaction with the early arrival of INEC ad hoc staff at the polling units. As of the time of filing the report, voting had yet to commence at some polling units visited, as the exercise was scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. A heavy presence of security agents was observed in all the places visited and around the polling units.
