The Osun Gubernatorial election which took place in various local government areas today has been quite peaceful as many people trooped out to exercise their franchise but amidst this peaceful atmosphere the Osun poll generated, it is not without some acts of vote buying.
Vote buying is a widespread phenomenon. It is an act where a voter sells his or her vote in exchange for money, usually to the highest bidder. On Saturday, however, many people were reported to have sold their votes for #5,000.
Abdulrahman Afolabi, a Pendulum Media correspondent, shared his chat with an Osun indigene who went out to cast her vote today. He reported that the lady was embarrassed at the way she was approached to sell her vote.
Sahara reporters on Twitter also noted that, there were reports of votes buying in some parts of the state. It was gathered from some other sources that there were cases of vote-buying in places like ward 03, Ikija 1, PU 002, C.A.C Primary School, Ifetedo, Ife-South LGA, where an APC party agent gives out a “pass” to those who have voted for his party. They are then directed to this house to get #5,000.
According to reports, the total number of polling units is 3,763 while the total number of registration areas is 332. The total number of registered voters is 1,955,657 while a total number of 1,479,595 PVCs were collected. Total number of uncollected PVCS remained at 476,072 and over 21,000 security personnel were available.
Voters turned up massively to exercise their franchise as early as 7:00 am on Saturday and exceptional cases of some voters were also recorded on social media. A 92-year-old woman was seen casting her vote at Polling Unit 002, ward 6, Baptist Primary School 1, Isore/ Ikonifin, in Ola-Oluwa, LGA.
The gubernatorial candidates were also seen casting their votes in their respective local government areas. One of the major contenders, the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was seen casting his vote in Ede while the APC candidate, Adegboyega Oyetola, was seen casting his votes at Boripe LGA. Some voters however complained of the sluggish voting process at PU5, Ward 5, Ikire-Ile/Iwara, Olooluwa LGA.
At the time of this report, the votes are still being counted and compiled by INEC as the PDP candidate, Ademola Adeleke, clinches an early lead. The good people of Osun and the country at large patiently awaits the announcement of the next governor of the state.
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