Osun Guber: Police Aiding APC To Rig, Says Adeleke

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has accused the Nigeria Police Force of aiding the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig Saturday’s governorship election, alleging that officers were assisting the party to disrupt voting in some parts of the state.

Speaking shortly after casting his vote, Adeleke said, “We don’t want violence in Osun. All we want is free and fair election so that people can perform their civic duty. That’s one.”

He insisted that the collation process must follow due procedure, warning against any attempt to bypass it.

“The pattern of voting should be from units to wards and to LGs. Not that they will take LG collation straight to state capital. That’s unacceptable. That’s a form of rigging,” he said.

The governor also raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the APC to deploy fake ballot papers during the election.

“I heard it on authority that the APC are trying to rig and have some fake ballot papers.

“I want Osun people to watch out for that too. We don’t accept that in Osun,” he said.

Adeleke further alleged that police officers were teargassing residents in Modakeke and Oba Ogun to disperse voters at polling units.

“Right now, as I am voting right now, I have just received a call in Modakeke and Oba Ogun that police are aiding them to teargas them so that people can run away,” he said.

Despite the reported disruption, the governor commended the resolve of residents, saying, “And people are resolute. They just want to perform their civic duty.”

He then called on security agencies to remain impartial throughout the process, urging, “Let the security agencies please be neutral.”

The police are yet to react to the accusation, which Adeleke made at about 8:33 a.m. after voting. Neither INEC nor the APC has responded to the allegation.

The election was well underway as of the time of this report, with INEC reporting early activation of Registration Area Centres (RACs), which it said were completed by 6:09 p.m. on Friday.

The commission also disclosed that 94.5 per cent of polling units, representing 3,556 of 3,763 units, had opened by 8:30 a.m. on election day.

INEC further noted that 207 polling units, representing 5.5 per cent, experienced minor delays in opening but became fully operational by 9:00 a.m.

In its overall assessment, the commission said the RAC activation and polling unit opening processes were conducted in a peaceful, orderly and timely manner.