Allegations of electoral malpractices have rocked the ongoing local government election in Osogbo, as Labour Party (LP) Chairmanship candidate, Barrister Bode Babalola, raised serious concerns over the integrity of the electoral process in Unit 4, Ward 7.
Speaking exclusively to newsmen, Babalola accused the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) of gross electoral fraud, alleging that ballot papers had been pre-thumb-printed and stuffed into ballot boxes before the arrival of election officials at the polling station.
Babalola, visibly shaken by the unfolding events, stated, “Upon the arrival of OSSIEC electoral officers, ballot papers had already been thumb-printed. When I came here earlier, the polling unit was completely empty.
“However, I was later informed that influential members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) had called a meeting with OSSIEC officials, and by the time I got here, the ballot boxes were already filled.”
Babalola further claimed that electoral officers had arrived late and were unprepared for the election.
“By 9:30 a.m., no electoral officers were at the polling station, and when they finally showed up, they tried to justify the process, claiming that voting had started at 7:00 a.m. But no voter could have legally cast their vote at such an early hour,” Babalola alleged.
In response to these allegations, PDP Ward 7 Secretary, Kasali Nurudeen Olalekan, dismissed Babalola’s claims, insisting that the election was smooth and well-organized.
“OSSIEC officials arrived on time, and voting commenced by 8:00 a.m. Party agents were present to verify the election materials, and there was no violence. It was a peaceful election,” Olalekan stated confidently.
However, the election was not without its issues. Some voters from various polling units reported that the election had concluded earlier than expected, raising suspicions about the transparency of the voting process.
There were also claims that certain areas failed to receive election materials on time due to police interference.
Adding fuel to the controversy, OSSIEC Chairman, Hashim Abioye, accused the Nigerian Police of disrupting the election by arresting key OSSIEC staff. “The Police sealed off the OSSIEC head office, where accreditation materials were stored.
The delay in the arrival of election materials at some units was due to the police action, but we have since deployed new materials and the voting process is ongoing,” Abioye clarified in a statement.
