Tension As ‘Sporadic Shooting’ Allegedly Rocks Osun Rerun

The Osun State governorship rerun election took centre stage on Thursday, after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared last Saturday’s election inconclusive.

All 48 political parties in the state went into the poll today, but the focus is the battle between ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Senator Ademola Adeleke of the PDP polled 254,698 votes against his closest rival and candidate of ruling APC, Gboyega Oyetola, got 254,345 votes.

The Returning Officer, Joseph Fuwape, who is the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, said the difference of 353 between the leading aspirants was less than the total of 3, 498 that was cancelled in about seven polling units in the election.

The rerun is holding in seven polling units across four local government areas of Orolu, Ife North, Ife south and Osogbo.

The polling units are:

– Ife North, Ward 10, PU2

– Ife South, Olode Ward 07, PU12, Adereti Village

– Ife South Osi Ward 8 PU10, Aluti Erin Primary School, Albert village

– Orolu Ward 08 PU001, Kajola village

– Orolu Ward 08 PU004 Idi Iya village

– Orolu Ward 09 PU 003 Gbogbo Primary School Adeleke

– Osogbo Ataoja Ward 05 PU 017 Adewale Street.

Meanwhile, the PDP has raised numerous allegations claiming that men of the Nigerian police are working with the APC to maltreat and scare supporters of the opposition party from casting their votes.

#OsunDecides2018 #OsunRerun @PoliceNG men on election duty in Osun State, in connivance with @OfficialAPCNg agents are maltreating voters and @OfficialPDPNig supporters/members. This is completely unacceptable @UN @USEmbassyAbuja @UKinNigeria @EmmanuelMacron @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/HDdKzAnsrH

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) September 27, 2018

#OsunDecides2018 #OsunRerun In Olode before Ifetedo, in Ife area, some @OfficialAPCNg thugs are shooting sporadically to scare aware voters and @inecnigeria electoral officials. @PoliceNG take note and take action please

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) September 27, 2018

The party equally claimed that a woman, Romoke Lukman, was caught as she tried to vote with PVC of another unit at PU 17, Ward 5.

According to reports, Mrs Lukman said she was called by someone to come and vote. But she was questioned by security operatives who let her go after she apologised profusely.

#OsunDecides2018 #OsunRerun Mrs. Romoke Lukman is 50 years old. She voted in the last Saturday Osun Guber Election at Ward 09 but today, she was invited by some @OfficialAPCNg agents with another PVCs for polling unit 17/Ward 5. @PoliceNG and @inecnigeria take note pic.twitter.com/qpFxa8Xq5I

— Official PDP Nigeria (@OfficialPDPNig) September 27, 2018