Senator Ademola Adeleke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the early hours of today, emerged the winner of Osun State governorship election.
Adeleke beat his closest rival, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to emerge winner.
PDP polled 403,371 votes to defeat APC's 375,027 votes.
Adeleke also won 17 local government areas, while Governor Oyetola won 13 local governments
(Read results by local governments HERE)
The election was held across the 30 local government areas of the state amid tight security with political parties adopting new methods of vote-buying.
It also witnessed huge turnout of voters as the electorate trooped out enmass to cast their votes.
Interestingly, as of press time, there was no record of violence.
Speaking immediately after casting his vote at Oloti Ward 1 Unit 2, around 11am, Governor Oyetola expressed confidence of being re-elected.
He said APC will be re-elected by the people owing to his tremendous achievements in the last three and a half years in office.
Oyetola said: “I am very confident that I will be re-elected by the electorate, today, and by God’s Grace I will be celebrating the victory this evening.”
A dimension in vote-buying was witnessed in yesterday’s exercise as politicians in Osun devised means of inducing prospective voters to support their parties.
It was observed that vote-buying was more discreet and methodical unlike the open style that was witnessed during the governorship poll in Ekiti State last month.
In Osun, vote-buyers and sellers devised ways of avoiding the prying eyes of security agencies especially the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The new techniques were noticed in some polling units along Aregbe-Olaiya axis of the Ogo Oluwa-Abere Road of Osogbo and Ede including a polling unit, very close to the new flyover constructed by the present administration at Olaiya area of Osogbo.
The new methods included assigning somebody to stay at a place close to the voting stand and monitorimg voters.
Once it was confirmed that a vote-seller had voted for a preferred party of the vote-buyers, he or she would be directed to a nearby place to write his or her name.
Thereafter, a tally would be given to the person which was later used to collect money from the vote-buyers.
The persons that had the cash with them would stay in a corner and some members of the team loitered carefully around the place to prevent intruders.
The name writers recruited for the purpose are mostly young ladies.
Voting for highest bidders
Similarly, in most polling units in Osogbo and Olorunda local government areas, many voters cast their votes for the highest bidders as it was gathered that a vote cost as much as N10,000 in the state capital.
A voter (name withheld) in Unit 35 said: “I was offered N7,000 by APC but when PDP gave N10, 000 I decided to vote for the party.
“Many of us took the N10,000 and voted PDP. It is wrong for the APC to offer us a lesser amount being the party in power.”
It was a similar situation at Ward 8, Units 11, 35, 38 as voters received as much as N10,000 to cast votes for any of the two leading parties.
In Odo-Otin, votes were sold for N5,000 by the PDP and APC.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said both parties were neck-and-neck seeking voters’ favour with the said amount.
The voter said: “In most of the units, the people were left with no choice than to collect N5,000 and vote for a candidate of their choice since both parties offered the same amount.”
Some agents approached us with N5,000, N2,000— Voters
In some polling units around Osogbo, a voter, who spoke to newmen, said some party agents approached them for negotiation.
The voter, who cast his vote at Agunbelawo along Okinni Ilobu road in Osogbo, said: “Some party agents approached us and told us they were going to give us N2,000 each if we voted for their party. “Another party agent told us they would give us N5,000 if we voted for them. Some people agreed to collect from the highest bidder, while others said they would vote for their preferred candidate.”
Another voter, revealed at Ward 4, PU004 CAC Primary School, Shekona in Ede South Local Government Area of Osun State, said they were asked to write down their names before casting their votes.
Inducement of voters was witnessed at Service Area of Osogbo as a voter told journalists that party agents were giving between N5,000 and N10,000 to influence voters’ choice.
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