Osun voters in massive turnout for accreditation

Voters in Osun turned out in large numbers in various wards as early as 6 a.m. ahead of the official time of 8 a.m. for accreditation in Saturday's governorship election.

Though there was light rainfall in the early hours of Saturday, the turnout was impressive.

Alhaji Bamidele Suleiman, a party ward collation agent, said more that 100 voters had arrived in Unit 19 Ward 5 in Osogbo Local Government Area as early as 6.30 a.m.

In Ward 001, Ataoja E, many voters said they were in the ward early to do accreditation in time to cast votes as quick as possible.

Mrs Titilayo Amoo, one of the voters at Unit 16, Osogbo Local Government, said she led some other women to the unit early enough to participate in the election.

Mr Jolayemi Gabriel, 76, said he was impressed that elder citizens such as himself were at the polling unit early enough.

However, Sulieman alleged that the opposition party APC was providing canopies for voters, saying that it was not in line with INEC guidelines.

Reacting to the allegation, Alhaji Bashiru Ajebade, the leader of Ward five Oke-Arungbo community in Osogbo Local Government Area, said the canopies were provided by members of the community.

He said they were to be used in the event of rainfall and to provide shade for the elderly voters.

Mr Kayode Odewale from the same ward, however, expressed satisfaction with the turnout of INEC and security officials.

He commended voters for coming out on time to vote

Among the voters, who came out early for accreditation, were elderly women and men.

At Ward four, polling units 19 and 20 on Old Governor's Office, Osogbo, accreditation did not start on time in spite of a massive turn-out of voters.

The Presiding Officer, who wished to be identified as Oluwasheyin, apologised to voters for the “slight delay'', adding that they faced some little challenges in setting up some structures, coupled with the rain shower.

She appealed to voters to be orderly and remain within the vicinity of the centre, to enable them to vote immediately after accreditation at 12.30 p.m.

At Ward 20 of the centre, election materials arrived at about 7.20 a.m. where a Presiding Officer, Festus Okoli, said they were well secured.

Some of the voters whose names were in the voters' register, said they were not listed alphabetically as they expected.

The correspondents monitoring the exercise in Ilesa West and East local government, report that many voters had queued as early as 6.30 a.m. waiting to be accredited.

At Unit 10, ward five, at African Church Grammar School, Ilesha West, anxious voters were already in the queue waiting to be accredited.

Mrs Adebimpe Oluwole, a 65-year old woman,said that she arrived at the polling unit at about 6:30 am waiting for accreditation.

At Ilesa East, units 1 and 2, at Oke Obanla, large numbers of voters were seen checking their names on the register.

There was heavy presence of security operatives in each of the polling units.

At the Unit seven, ward 1, at Igbogi Junction, Orinkiran, the exercise which started at 8 a.m., also witnessed a huge turnout of electorate for registration, with many of them checking their names on the register.

Miss Abifoluwa Olorode, INEC ad hoc worker, said that she arrived at the unit around 7: 05 a.m.

Olorode said the turnout of the electorate was impressive.

Unit one, Ward eight, Ifofin, Ilesha East which is the polling unit of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the election, witnessed a huge turnout of voters.

Mrs. Sarafat Aregbesola, the mother of Gov. Rauf Aregesola, was the first voter to be accredited.

Aregbesola said she was impressed with the turnout of the voters for the accreditation.

She expressed the belief that her son, Aregbesola, would be re-elected.

However, voters' accreditation started at 8 a.m. in most of the polling units at Ilesha West and East local government areas.

At Ward 1 in Ilode near Ife, accreditation started at 8 a.m. with appreciable turnout of voters.

Mrs Funke Akanni, a voter and Alhaji Hassan Arogundade, 85, said they came out as early as 8 a.m. and everything was peaceful.

The PDP National Secretary, Mr Wale Oladipo, commended INEC for adequate preparation and arrangement, saying there was enough security.(NAN)