LIVE UPDATES: Osun Holds Historic Local Government Parliamentary Election

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LIVE UPDATES: Osun Holds Historic Local Government Parliamentary Election

 

The d-day is here. Today, Saturday, 27th January, 2018 is the date for the much anticipated historic local government parliamentary elections in the State of Osun. The elections is historic in the sense that, it will be the first time a state in accordance with Section 7 of the Constitution define a parliamentary structure for its Local Governments with the first official elections.

 

Today’s polls is to elect the councillors to represent each wards in the Local Governments and the newly created Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and Area Councils created by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in 2016 after due legal process. In the arrangement, the elected councillors today will in-turn at the point of their inauguration elect among themselves the Chairman of the said council area.A 93 years woman casting her vote.

The Osun Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) revealed that out of the 389 wards across the state that elections will be held, actual voting will hold in 71 wards, as 318 councillorship positions have been presented unopposed.

 

The Commission Chairman, Otunba Segun Oladitan, during a press conference held to sensitise the public on the level of preparedness for the council polls said the commission registered 36 political parties for the upcoming polls and only 18 returned their forms.

 

He also revealed that, 12 of the political parties that had earlier submitted their forms also withdrew from the race leaving the space for Labour Party, All Progressive Congress, Accord Party, Social Democratic Party and Allied Congress Party of Nigeria.

 

The Commission Chairman revealed that the spread is as follow: Osun-Central, 6; Osun-West, 13 and Osun-East; 52 wards, while the spread for the unopposed candidates was Osun-Central, 128; Osun-West, 117; and Osun-East, 73.

 

Going by the analysis, the election would be keenly contested in Osun East particularly in Ile-Ife and its environ where voting would be conducted in 52 wards.

 

TrekAfrica will be bringing you Live Updates from the election last held in December 2007 as our reporters are covering the elections across the State of Osun.

 

At 7:28AM when our correspondent, Toba Adedeji visited 5 polling units at Eketa ward, Osogbo Local Government in Osun Central, officers of OSIEC are yet to be at the respective polling units although Security personnel were on ground at all the unit in the area. But by 7:50AM, some officers of OSIEC arrived some of the polling units.

 

However, the presiding officer for Unit 8 who identified himself as Oparinde Micheal while addressing journalists disclosed that some sensitive materials like the ballot papers and voters register has not yet gotten to his polling unit.

 

Oladimeji said, “We have with us now the ballot box, stamp ink and some others stationary we needed but but we are yet to receive ballot papers, voters register and some other forms.

 

9.16 AM Our Correspondent, Shina Abubakar sights an elderly woman queuing up to vote at Unit 6, Ward 13 in Osogbo LG as well as Ward 13 unit 9 of Osogbo LG where presiding officers calmly wait for voters.

 

9.23 AM Ismaeel Uthman reports that there is an impressive turnout of voters at Unit 02, ward 8A, Olorunda North, Kobo-Dagbolu and areas around the vicinity.

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