The Labour Party Chairmanship candidate for Osogbo Local Government, Barrister Babalola Olabode Jamiu, has dismissed the Osun Local Government election as a “sham,” alleging widespread irregularities.
Speaking at Unit 4, Ward 7, where he was expected to vote, Babalola claimed that the ballot boxes were pre-filled before the official start of voting. According to him, the polling unit was already deserted by 9:30 a.m. because the process had been manipulated.
“You can see for yourself, it’s just 9:30, and nobody is here because the papers had already been printed into the ballot boxes before they were brought here. Within 10 minutes, everything was done, and people left,” he alleged.
Babalola further claimed that some powerful PDP members had called OSIEC officials for a secret meeting before the election started, where they allegedly pre-thumbprinted ballot papers.
“I traced them to the meeting and found out that at Units 7 and 16, the ballot boxes had already been stuffed with votes. When I challenged them, they became hostile. This election is worse than the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ elections we used to complain about,” he said.
Despite these allegations, some PDP officials described the election as peaceful and credible.
Kasali Nurudeen Olalekan, Secretary of PDP in Ward 7, said the election materials arrived on time, and voting commenced as scheduled.
“The election went smoothly. Electorates came out en masse to cast their votes. There was no intimidation or problem,” he stated.
On allegations of ballot stuffing, Olaleka dismissed them as false. “When the materials arrived, all party agents were present to verify them before voting started. Anyone claiming the ballot boxes were already filled is lying,” he said.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that elections did not take place in some areas of the state.
As of press time, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has yet to arrive some polling units and address the concerns raised by opposition parties and voters.
