Heavy Security, Long Queues Mark Osun Poll In Ede

Heavy security presence and long queues of voters characterised voting across parts of Ede, Osun State, as the governorship election got underway on Saturday.

Accreditation and voting started early in several polling units visited in Ede North and Ede South local government areas, with security personnel deployed across polling centres and voters seen waiting in orderly lines to cast their ballots.

Domestic election observers were at polling units from about 7:00 a.m. before accreditation commenced.

Mr Omotola Akinropo of Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), who monitored polling units in the town, said the exercise had been peaceful in the communities visited.

“The election so far across Ede community is peaceful, from what I can see, and security personnel have done very well in coordinating and ensuring that there is no breakdown of law and order,” he said.

Another observer, Mrs Bisi Adebimpe of the Centre for Democracy and Good Governance, Abuja, also described the process as peaceful and urged voters to comply with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines.

She also encouraged eligible voters to turn out and exercise their franchise.

Polling units visited by NAN included Sagba Agbogunde, Ward 2, Unit 9, Ede North; Orita Alajue, Ward 5, Unit 1, Ede South; Adogbe, Ward 3, Unit 5, Ede North; CAC, Ward 4, Unit 2, Ede North; Obalaoye, Ward 2; and Agip, Ward 2, Unit 3, Ede South.

Security personnel maintained order at the polling units while voters queued to cast their ballots.

Two voters, Mr Kazeem Taofeek and Mrs Grace Abimbola, who voted at Orita Alajue Ward 5 Unit 1 and Sagba Agbogunde Ward 2 Unit 7 respectively, said they hoped the peaceful atmosphere would continue through the end of voting and the announcement of results.

The governorship election is being contested by candidates from 15 political parties, including the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, and Mr Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC).