After yesterday’s supplementary vote in seven polling units, spread across four local government areas, OYETOLA was returned elected by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The Returning Officer, Professor JOSEPH FAWUPE, announced late last night that OYETOLA polled a total of two hundred and fifty-five thousand, five hundred and five votes to emerge victorious.
Professor FAWUPE said the APC candidate finished with four hundred and eighty-two votes higher than the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator ADEMOLA ADELEKE, who scored two hundred and fifty-five thousand, twenty-three votes.
You recall that before INEC rescheduled election in seven polling units where voting was disrupted last Saturday, the PDP candidate was leading with three hundred and fifty-three votes.
Meanwhile; reports from Osun State indicate that yesterday’s rerun in seven polling units across four local government areas recorded more violence and breaches than main election last Saturday.
There were also incidence of overbearing influence of security operatives deployed for the rerun, including the arrest of at least sixteen journalists and election observers based on the suspicion that their accreditation tags from INEC were fake.
However; the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, confirmed that those who were arrested by the police were actually accredited observers and journalists.
INEC also expressed concern over reports that some observers and journalists were prevented from covering events in some polling units.
INEC gave this indication in a message on its Twitter handle, adding that it had taken up the issue with the security agencies.
A man was also detained in connection with gunshots that temporarily disrupted voting at the only polling unit in Osogbo where the rerun was held.
Security operatives also arrested three men for allegedly carrying charms and banned substances around the polling unit in Osogbo.
The National Coordinator of Election Monitors, ABIODUN AJIJOLA, also corroborated the claims of highhandedness by security operatives against observers and journalists.
