#OsunRerun: US, EU, UK allege voters’ intimidation, harassment

In their appraisal of the Osun State rerun governorship election , the missions of the United States , European Union and the United Kingdom, who were on the ground to monitor the exercise , said there were incidents of harassment and intimidation of voters .

Reading the missions ’ joint report, the US Consul General , Mr John F . Bray , said, “The missions of the United States , European Union and the United Kingdom observed voting at polling stations in Osun today (Thursday).

We witnessed what appeared to be incidents of interference and intimidation of voters and have reports of harassment of party monitors, journalists and domestic observers .

“ We are very concerned by these reports and we will be checking with stakeholders to determine the facts . We call on all stakeholders to remain calm. ”

INEC declares APC Gboyega Oyetola winner of Osun State governor election

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress , Gboyega Oyetola, as the Governor -elect of Osun State .

The rerun of the Osun State governorship election was held in seven polling units across four council areas on Thursday with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress , Gboyega Oyetola, beating the Peoples Democratic Party candidate , Ademola Adeleke .
The returning officer , Prof. Joseph Fuwape, declared that the APC candidate , Oyetola, won the governorship election by scoring a total number of 255 ,505 votes while Adeleke of the PDP polled 255 , 023 votes.

This was, however , met with protests by Adeleke, the PDP , and the Coalition of United Political Parties , among others.
Adeleke had won the main election on Saturday with 353 votes after polling 254 , 698 against Oyetola’s 254 ,345 . On Thursday , both candidates relied on 2 ,637 votes in the seven units where the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared rerun to win the final contest.

The rerun was held in one polling unit in Oyere in Ife - North , one polling unit in Olode in Ife - South, another polling unit in Osi , Ife - South, three polling units in Orolu , Kajola Local Government Area of the state and one polling unit in Osogbo .
In Oyere , APC had 126 votes while PDP had two votes. In Olode, APC scored 283 votes with the PDP scoring 15 votes . In Osi , APC had 172 votes while the PDP had 21 votes . In Ifon , Orolu , APC had 111 votes against PDP ’s three votes . In Gbogbo, Orolu, APC had 41 while PDP scored 64 votes . Also in Idiya , Orolu , the APC scored 128 votes against the PDP ’s 55 votes.

In Osogbo , the APC scored 299 votes while the PDP scored 165 votes . In all, APC scored 1 , 160 to beat the PDP which scored 325 in the rerun . When added to the result of the main election on Saturday , APC had a total of 255 , 505 votes against PDP ’s 255 ,023 .
In the run - up to the rerun of the election , the PDP alleged that INEC shortchanged its candidate in some of the council areas by announcing figures that were lower than what Adeleke actually scored .
It claimed that the actual margin of the win against Oyetola in the first election was 4 ,740 and not 353 . The party said that INEC added 2 , 000 votes to what the APC polled in Osogbo and 1 ,387 to what it scored in Olorunda . The party also alleged that 1 , 000 votes were deducted from what Adeleke scored in the Ayedaade council area .

The candidate of the Social Democratic Party , Iyiola Omisore , who came a distant third in the Saturday ’s election , however , became an important element in the Thursday’s rerun because some of the polling units fell under the area of his strength. He was visited by a high powered Federal Government delegation which included the APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole ; Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun ; his Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajimobi; Ekiti State Governor - elect , Kayode Fayemi; and Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed .
Although he also met some leaders of the PDP , which included the party’s presidential aspirants, Bukola Saraki, and Atiku Abubakar, Omisore caved in under the FG pressure as he announced that he would support the APC in the rerun.

In areas where the rerun was held in Ife - South and Ife - North , PDP supporters alleged that they were barred by thugs from reaching the polling units to cast their votes for Adeleke. They also alleged that police watched as they were beaten by the thugs , adding that the result of the election did not reflect the wish of the electorate.
In Olode, the PDP agent was absent at the polling unit. One of our correspondents who were at the polling unit witnessed the beating of two people who claimed that they had come to vote . Although there was a heavy presence of armed security men at the unit , the hoodlums acted without hurdle . It was also observed that voters were hugely induced to vote at the polling unit.
It was gathered that voters were registered by an agent at a mud house behind the polling area and given what was termed agreement fee before voting and another amount after showing evidence of voting. The evidence was usually the ink on the thumbnail. It was also observed that the majority of the people at the polling unit, except journalists, observers and security men, had a common symbol of identification.

The Director of Voter Education and Publicity , INEC , Akin Ojewande , who was at the unit, said the election process was peaceful . He said that it was the choice of the PDP not to be represented at the unit .
He said, “The election is peaceful according to plan. Everybody has the right to be here or not , How would I know (why the PDP agent is not here). A party is allowed to have an agent at each polling unit. Nobody was sent away from coming here . People have been following the rule . I don’ t know of other polling units . ”
In Osogbo , gunshots fired by unknown people caused a commotion as the voting process was disrupted . Two persons were arrested by the police for attempting to buy votes from the electorate in the queue . A man who was alleged to be in possession of cloned Permanent Voter Cards was also whisked away by security men. An undisclosed amount of money was also found on him .

PDP rejects results , says it ’ s black day for Nigeria

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party met in Abuja on Thursday over the conduct of the rerun governorship election in Osun State .
While rejecting it, the party also said that the Thursday election was one of the worst days in the history of Nigeria .
It described the election as a black day for the nation .
The National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus , spoke at an emergency meeting after the meeting of members of the PDP National Working Committee .
He lamented that Osun State was put under siege and the citizens ’ right trampled upon by security agents , whom he said were backed by both the All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission officials .

He expressed concern that if what took place in Osun State was what would take place in 2019 , then the future of Nigeria ’s democracy “is bleak and the nation sliding into crisis . ”
He said, “What we have witnessed in Osun shows clearly that the All Progressives Congress is not ready for an election and we are afraid that President Muhammadu Buhari will not hand over if he loses the election next year .
“Today, we are all aware of the rerun election in Osun State as we address the press conference . We, the members of the National Working Committee , have reviewed what has happened from the distribution of materials to the actual voting in some of the units and wards.
“We found that Osun is under siege . Therefore , today is a black day for Nigeria .
“We would think that it is a state or some units, but if you look at what has transpired so far from Ekiti to Osun State , Nigerians are groaning in pains especially the Osun people .
“The right of the citizens to be able to come out and vote had been trampled upon and the entire state and the wards and units have been seized by the security agencies who were acting on behalf of the APC to make sure the election is rigged by all means .
“We are sad that if this is what is going to take place in 2019 , then the future of Nigeria ’s democracy is bleak and we are sliding into crisis . ”
Secondus challenged INEC to rise above what happened in Osun and declare the PDP candidate as the winner of the election .
He also called on the commission to immediately cancel the elections in all the units where security agencies seized the Permanent Voter Cards of PDP members and also where their members were prevented from voting.

In his reaction , the Deputy National Chairman (South- West ), Dr Eddy Olafeso, noted that security agents colluded with the APC people by allowing those wearing uniform bearing the APC governorship name to vote . He alleged that in Orolu and Garage Olode and some of the units, the PVCs of PDP members were seized and INEC members of staff were induced with cash , which he said they could not refuse.

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#OsunDecides2018: Sen. Iyitola Omisore join forces with APC to fight PDP

Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Senator Iyiola Omisore has joined forces with APC to fight the PDP in the upcoming rerun in Osun state.

The rerun election will determine the winner between Isiaka Oyetola of the APC and PDP candidate Ademola Adeleke. Saturday’s election was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which ordered the supplementary election in seven polling units in four local governments – Osogbo, Orolu, Ife North and Ife South. There are 3, 498 registered voters in the polling units where the elections were cancelled due to various reasons, including hijacking of election materials, abscondment of presiding officer, disruption of election by hoodlums who were shooting sporadically, manual accreditation and over voting.

The supplementary election is a straight fight between Oyetola and Adeleke. Adeleke has a marginal 353 votes advantage in the election in which Omisore finished third. Omisore hosted an APC delegation of Ekiti State Governor-elect Dr Kayode Fayemi and Dr Olu Agunloye at his home in Ile-Ife. On Monday, he received Senate President Bokola Saraki, who came to lobby him to support the PDP.

Omisore, who left the PDP for the SDP because the PDP ticket was skewed in favour of Adeleke, declined to give Saraki his commitment. But after his meeting with the APC team, Omisore twitted under a photograph of himself with Fayemi and Agunloye:

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Exclusive News: APC, PDP trade blames as parties woo Omisore

OSOGBO—THE two major contenders in tomorrow’s Osun State government rerun election, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, were, yesterday, locked in a verbal war over perceptions of impropriety ahead of the crucial polls in seven selected polling points.

The verbal warfare came as proxies of the two parties continued solicitations to Senator Iyiola Omisore, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, candidate who came third in the election for his support.

Atiku, Fayemi visit Omisore Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, came on behalf of the PDP, while Ekiti State governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who supposedly came on behalf of APC, however, said he came to visit Omisore who he said is his in-law.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was also being drawn into the fray yesterday as PDP gave details of how it was allegedly short-changed of 4,387 votes in two local government areas by INEC, supposedly working in cahoots with the ruling APC.

The party alleged that INEC was set to increase the number of voters due for the rerun from the 3498 earlier announced to 4,387 to allegedly widen the APC’s capacity to manouvere.

The claims were dismissed by the APC’s media campaign coordinator, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who urged voters affected to ignore the PDP which he claimed was jittery over its imminent loss.

INEC also rebuffed the claims as it gave statistics to back its claim that the number of votersin the voting area is 3,498.Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, on his part said the outcome of the election was the reason the party must never go to sleep.The sense of despair of the PDP was also conveyed by its failure to get the exact number of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, collected among the 4,387 voters.INEC in a rebuff to claims to social media figures that only 423 PVCs were collected by voters in the affected area, said it would not release the figures for security reasons.

An APC chieftain dismissed the figures as false, adding that INEC had the authentic figures.“Who is in possession of better statistics? INEC is in possession of the real statistics, whatever figure people are claiming is false,” the chieftain said.Contacted on the issue, Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said the electoral umpire had the authentic figures of voters and number ofPVCs collected.He, however, said “that for security reasons, the commission will not disclose the total number of PVCs collected in the seven polling units where the re-run election will take place.”INEC boss should resign — PDPThe PDP at a press conference in Abuja, addressed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondinyan, yesterday, called for the resignation of the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, and the National Commissioner in charge of operations, Mrs.

Amina Zakari, upon the claim that they collaborated to stalemate a concluded election.Ologbondiyan said: “With INEC’s fraudulent conduct in the Osun governorship election, and approval that a concluded election be declaredinconclusive, the PDP and, indeed, all well-meaning Nigerians no longer have confidence in Prof. Yakubu.“It is completely inexcusable that Prof. Yakubu presides overan atrocious and compromisedelectoral umpire that manipulates electoral processes, doctors figures, allocates fictitious votes and subverts the will of the people in an election.“

The PDP has additional documentary evidence of how this compromised INEC, through its Operations and ICT Department, doctored results from polling centers, directly short-changed the PDP with no fewer than 4,387 votes by slashing votes cast for the PDPat the polling centers while allocating fictitious figures to the APC.“From the facts available to us, INEC robbed our party of over 4,387 votes. Our actual winning margin stands at 4,740 votes against the 353 votes declared by INEC.”

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Senator Murray Bruce and Reno Omokri praise Davido over his input in Osun State 2019 Election

Davido has gotten some accolade rendition’ from Senator Ben Bruce and Reno Omokri, over his input to see that his uncle,Senator Ademola Adeleke secured victory in Osun election.

Penning down a post to Davido, Senator Ben Bruce wrote; Dear. @iam_Davido, Anyone that has a son or a nephew like you does not even need federal power. God has blessed that person with a power mightier than that wielded by the clueless @OfficialAPCNg. The @OfficialPDPNig has a lot to be grateful to God over you and your steadfastness!

Reno Omokri also wrote; After, by the grace of God, @IsiakaAdeleke1 has finished his 2 terms as @OfficialPDPNig Governor of Osun, I cant think of a better person to succeed him than @iam_Davido.

He has shown himself to be a study in loyalty and sacrifice. I wish he can even be Governor now! #RenosDarts We reported that Davido, who has been a huge support to his uncle, Senator Ademola Adeleke who is PDP’s Governorship candidate in Osun State, had also reacted to recent development which saw the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declare Osun election inconclusive.

Davido who took to Twitter to react to the announcement, wrote; Victory is certain which ever way …. God’s plan  issokay

Exclusive Update: INEC declares Osun State election inconclusive

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared the Osun State governorship election inconclusive.

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , Ademola Adeleke , had polled 254 , 698 votes to defeat that of the All Progressives Congress , Gboyega Oyetola, who polled 254 , 345 votes.

However, due to irregularities which marred the election at some polling units in Ife North , Ife South and Orolu local government areas , including cases of card reader malfunctioning, ballot box snatching , among others, this led to the cancellation of 3 ,498 votes recorded in the affected polling units .

Quoting INEC’ s Standing Rules at the commission’s headquarters in Osogbo , the state capital, the Returning Officer and Vice -Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof Joseph Fuwape, said since the margin between the two leading candidates was lower than the registered cancelled votes, the election had to be declared inconclusive.

He stated that a rerun would take place at the affected polling units on Thursday, September 27 , 2018 .

Osun Governorship Election, PDP agent arrested for alleged vote-buying

A Peoples Democratic Party agent has been arrested by security operatives for allegedly attempting to buy votes in the ongoing Osun State governorship election .
According to our correspondent , the agent had attempted to distribute money to voters at the Obada area of Ede in Ede Local Government Area .

The PUNCH reports that the PDP candidate , Ademola Adeleke, is from Ede town. Adeleke is contesting the seat currently occupied by Governor Rauf Aregbesola alongside the All Progressives Congress ’ candidate , Isiaka Oyetola; Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party , Fatai Akinbade of the African Democratic Congress , and Adeoti Moshood of Action Democratic Party .

In an interview after he voted, the 58 - year - old said he was optimistic of victory in the poll.

#OsunDecides2018 - Polling Units Results

As voting ends in many polling units across Osun State, these are results from some polling units according to Premium Times Centre for Investigative journalism in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development These results are the official results as announced by INEC officials at the various polling units.

From the polling units, the results will next be collated at ward collation centres, and then at local government collation centres. The final, official result will be declared at the INEC secretariat in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Follow live updates of the polling units results below.

At exactly 2:37 pm at PU003,WARD10 NUD primary school, iree BORIPE LGA Results are as follows:

APC-25

PDP – 47

SDP – 343

ADP – 4

VOID – 14

2:33 p.m.: Ward 03, PU 005, Boluwaduro Local Government. Total of 64 votes cast, with

ADP=12 votes.

APC = 17 votes.

APP = 1 vote.

NEPP = 1 vote.

PDP = 17 votes.

SDP = 16 votes.

Three rejected ballot papers.Ifon Orolu Local Government, Olufon Orolu D (Ward 4), Bolorunduro II (Polling Unit 6) as at 2:50PM 197 Voters

PDP – 73

APC – 82

SDP – 26

Void – 7

PPC – 1

FJP – 1

APA – 1

PRP – 1

SME – 1

ADC – 1

PPP – 1

ADP – 2

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Checkout the video of Senator Ademola Adeleke, dishing hot steps at PDP rally in Osun State

Senator Adeleke doing what he loves best..

Watch the video below.

[ Dancing senator, Ademola Adeleke, dishing hot steps at PDPrally in Osun state yesterday. ]

President Buhari declares, Osun must remain APC state

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the electorate in Osun State to vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state , Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola on Saturday .
He said this in Osogbo on Tuesday while addressing supporters of the APC at the mega rally for the governorship candidate of the party ahead of the Saturday election .

Buhari described the governorship candidate of the party as the right man for the job, while urging the electorate to vote Oyetola in order to continue with the development witnessed in the last years of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
He said, ” This is why you must all come out and vote for the APC on the 22 of September , 2018 . Osun must remain APC , Osun must continue on the path of progress, Osun must not allow the dark days to return. ”

Aregbesola said Oyetola would win the poll because his administration worked tirelessly to develop the state in the past eight years .
Aregbesola said, ” We are winning the election of Saturday , September 22 by the grace of God and we are coming back to jubilate . Why must God support us ? Because we have worked 24 hours of every single day of the 2 ,922 days allowed by the constitution to serve the people of this state.

Merely looking at me will testify to that fact. “Our party has done the impossible here, we have changed the face of Osun and for that reason and the will and power of God , we are returning Isiaka Adegboyega Oyetola on September 22 as the governor -elect and we are returning Benedict Oluwagboyega Alabi as the deputy governor- elect .  Both of them will be sworn in on Tuesday , November 27 . ”

via Punchng

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola begins payment of full salaries

The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress , Osun State chapter, Mr Jacob Adekomi, has said that the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration has started paying full salaries to all categories of workers in the state.

The NLC chairman said this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Osogbo on Wednesday .

Adekomi said local government workers and primary school teachers had started receiving payment alerts from their banks , adding that he had also received an alert of full salary for the month of July .
He said, “ The state government has started paying us full salaries. But we are waiting for the payment of arrears of the balance of modulated salaries. We have already given them a 21 - day ultimatum and we hope they will pay the arrears before the expiration of the ultimatum.
“Negotiation will soon commence and we are waiting for them to start paying us the arrears . But I can confirm that they have started paying us full salaries and I received the alert yesterday. ”

But the Secretary of the 2011 / 2012 Forum of Retirees in the state , Mr Sola Olojode, said pensioners had yet to start receiving full pensions.
He said retirees went to the Head of Service, Dr Oyebade Olowogboyega , and were assured that they would be paid full pension for the month of July .
He said this while speaking with our correspondent on the telephone .
Olojede said, “We went to the Head of Service two days ago and he assured us that we would be paid full pension for July . We will make noise again if we are not paid as they promised .
“ He also assured us that those retirees whose N 100 , 000 cheques given to them bounced should present the cheques again.

The cheques of N 100 , 000 out of millions of naira gratuities bounced . Can you imagine that ? The cheques were given to teachers that retired through Teachers and Establishment and Pension Office . ”
Meanwhile, Olowogboyega commended Aregbesola for the double promotions they received without examinations and the employment of thousands of youths into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme programme .

He also lauded the governor for the on - going conversion of workers from one cadre , adding that refurbishment of office equipment and necessary items for effective service delivery would be done soon .
Olowogboyega stated that arrears and leave bonuses would be paid , adding that the new promotion status of each worker would be reflected and not the former level, while the financial benefits attached to the promotion status would be fulfilled .

OSUN 2018: Drop Ademola Adeleke as flagbearer, seven PDP gov aspirants tell party

Seven governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State have asked the national leadership of the party to rescind its decision on the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the candidate of the party in the September 22 governorship election .

The aspirants: Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi ; senators Olasunkanmi Akinlabi and Felix Ogunwale ; Prof. Adeolu Durotoye and Dr . Ayoade Adewopo said this at a joint press conference in Osogbo on Thursday.

via punchng

Other aspirants who are also urging the PDP leadership to drop Adeleke are: Messrs Adejare Bello and Jide Adeniji. They were both absent at the press conference , but their names were listed as supporting the call.

Olasunkanmi , who read the address said, “ The candidacy of Senator Ademola Adeleke will further divide rather than unite the PDP in Osun State in view of the fact that a great number of the party members will not feel secure working for him, because of the very controversial circumstances of his nomination .
“The PDP may not be able to secure the support of critical stakeholders in the state with Senator Adeleke ’s candidacy , because of his not too impressive public conduct as a senator of the Federal Republic .
“In view of the foregoing, therefore, we the under listed aspirants call on the national leadership of our party to rescind its decision on the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as our candidate for the September 22 governorship election . ”

Ogunbiyi stated that he would not leave the party but would not stop to demand that the party do the right thing.
He said, “We are actually facing a challenge at present . It is a storm that will pass and I , Dr . Akin Ogunbiyi and other aspirants will not leave the PDP under any guise . We believe that the leadership of the party will do the right thing. We will stay together and fight to uproot the government of APC.

“The good people of Osun State should remain calm. The PDP is the hope of Osun State . There is no alternative party that can rescue Osun State and Nigeria .
“I cannot be a mole in the hands of anybody . With my modest achievement as a village boy with this level of grace God has given me , I cannot condescend to do such dishonorable job . ”

Durotoye said the aspirants and people of the state wanted the party to announce the name of the “real winner” as the party ’s governorship candidate .
He said although the aspirants and the people would not defect, they would not join the alleged impunity .

Osun State Governor Says, I Pay Workers & Pensioners Regularly In My State - Aregbesola

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State today says he has been paying active workers and pensioners in the state regularly. He disclosed this today in Osogbo at a symposium organised by the Osun Command of the Police Community Relations Committee.

He however said people spreading news of workers being owned by the state are just enemies of hisadministration. Hear him;“Let me make a resounding correction that despite the paucity of funds, it is only a section of workers on grade level 12 andabove who receive painfully 50 percent of their gross salaries based on the agreement between the government and the labour union.

“So, outside that category of workers on grade level 12 and above, no other receives half of his or her salaries and the workers in this category are just 20 percent of the state’s workforce.“Outside that, officers on levels 8-10 receive 75 percent of their salaries while officers on levels 7 and below receive theirfull pay.“Contrary to what the naysayers claim about us, all workers in the state have received their salaries up to June this yearaccording to the payment scheme and agreement.

“As we pay active workers, so we pay pensioners.“The only outstanding pay to pensioners is the gratuity and this is due to workers who choose not to participate in the Contributory Pension Scheme and therefore left service in 2011/2012,’’ the governor said.Posted byLadun