Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has cast his vote in Saturday’s governorship election.
Adeleke voted at Ward 02, Unit 09, Sagba, Ede North Local Government Area, at about 8:33 a.m.
The governor had earlier visited his family compound in Ede, where he offered prayers, before proceeding to the polling unit to exercise his franchise.
He arrived at the polling unit amid heightened interest from voters and residents who had gathered to participate in the election.
A member of the Imole Campaign Council told THE WHISTLER that the governor voted early so he could move around the state to observe the situation on ground, following the deteriorating security situation that has trailed the election.
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Adeleke’s early voting comes against the backdrop of days of violence in parts of the state, including reported killings in Esa Oke and Ilesa, an attack on the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, and allegations by his campaign council that no fewer than 15 Accord party members had been killed in coordinated attacks across seven local government areas.
The governor had, in the wake of the killings, promised to constitute an Independent Commission of Inquiry after the election to investigate the violence and bring perpetrators to justice.
Adeleke is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord party against candidates including Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), among others, in an election that has been described as the most volatile in the state’s recent history.