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Osun: PDP’s Adeleke leads

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP’s) governorship candidate in yesterday’s election in Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, was in the lead as results of the polls began to trickle in last night.

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He was ahead of his closest rival and incumbent governor, Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Olorunda LGA with 21,350 votes while Oyetola scored 18,709.

Adeleke was also the preferred candidate in Osogbo LGA, having garnered 30,401 votes to Oyetola’s 22,952.

Oyetola on the other hand garnered 17,421votes in Iwo LGA against Adeleke’s 16,914. The governor also won in Irewole LGA with18,198 votes against Adeleke’s 14,176.

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Over one million nine hundred thousand people were eligible to vote in the election across the 30 local government areas of the state.

As at 10pm last night, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded results from all polling units in 19 of the LGAs into its portal while it had also received results from 3,720 of the 3,763 units.

The LGAs were Obokun, Odo-Otin, Osogbo, Orolu, Boripe, Bolowaduro, Ayedire, Atakumosa East, Atakumosa West, Ife Central, Egbedore, Ayedaade, Ila, Ifedayo, Ilesa West, Ilesa East, Oriade, Irepodun and Ola Oluwa.

The election was generally peaceful with few recorded incidents of infractions.

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Vote buying, as it was the case during last month’s governorship election in Ekiti State, was rampant.

Voters’ turnout was modest, according to reports from across the state.

There was tension as residents eagerly awaited the results from INEC at press time.

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Both Oyetola and Adeleke said, after casting their votes yesterday, that they were sure of emerging victorious.

Oyetola said: “I worked very hard. I believe I should win the election.

“I believe I have worked very hard in the first three years and seven months. I have done very well in all areas. I don’t have to start to enumerate.

“People have actually reposed a lot of confidence in this administration. They want continuity.

“In any case, I do not take that for granted. I went to all the local government areas and one area office campaigning.”

Adeleke was similarly confident of winning.

His party later claimed victory in the election, citing “collated results from the polling units.”

The Caretaker Chairman of the party in the state, Dr Akindele Adekunle, said in a statement that the PDP had secured majority and more than two thirds spread across the 30 local governments and area office.

He said the ‘victory’ was a product of mass mobilisation and grand coalition of the people of the state.

(Nation)