The Ibadan North Federal Constituency by-election on Saturday began with a disappointing turnout.
This election was prompted by the death of Olajide Akinremi of the All Progressives Congress on July 10. Despite Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials arriving as early as 7:30 a.m. to set up, voter participation remained low. At Bodija Ward 10 Unit 26 and Ward 5 Unit 19, officials were present but few voters showed up.
“We are 100 per cent ready at Methodist Grammar School, Bodija, Ward 5, Unit 26. As you can see, we are setting up and waiting for voters. Their list will be pasted soon,” Omolara Gbamigbade, an INEC official, said.
Similarly, Bolaji Abiona, a PDP agent at Ward 10 Unit 26, noted: “Everything is set. INEC is here, the police are here. We are waiting for people so accreditation and voting can commence.”
The first voter at Ward 10 Unit 27, Police Station, Bodija Housing Corporation, Miss Oluwaseun Omisakin, arrived at 9:07 a.m. and cast her vote within five minutes.
According to her, the process was smooth. “I got to where the voters’ list was pasted and saw my name. I wasn’t even expecting it. The comportment of the INEC officials was excellent, especially how the BVAS official handled the minor glitch that occurred. It showed they were prepared,” she said
NAN reports that only Omisakin and one other voter were present at the polling unit at the time of the report. Ajayi Lucas, the PDP party agent at Sango, Oju Irin, Ward 8 Unit 031, expressed frustration over the officials’ late arrival.
“We have been calling the collation officer to alert him that INEC officials were not on ground, only for them to arrive at 9:50 a.m. This is not acceptable, it ought not to be so,” Lucas said. INEC officials were also yet to be seen at Ward 8 Unit 1, Sango Ibadan, at the time of reporting
