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'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emerged victorious in all 20 local government chairmanship seats in Ogun State following the local government elections conducted on Saturday. The APC also claimed victory in all 236 wards across the state.
The Chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), Babatunde Osibodu, announced the results at the Commission's headquarters in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta. According to him, a total of 613,156 votes were cast in the chairmanship elections across the state.
Opposition parties cry foul
However, the outcome of the polls has been met with condemnation from opposition parties, particularly the Labour Party, which described the exercise as a sham. At a press conference in Abeokuta, the Labour Party’s state chairman, Biodun Jagun, alleged widespread irregularities and called for the cancellation of the entire election.
“There was no election whatsoever in virtually all the polling units in Ogun State,” Jagun said. “OGSIEC officials were absent in over ninety percent of polling units, and there were no election materials available as of 1:30 pm. In the few polling units where materials eventually arrived, they were incomplete and delivered hours after the scheduled start time.”
Jagun further alleged that the exercise was in clear violation of the Ogun State Electoral Law and declared that his party would reject any results announced by OGSIEC. He threatened legal action if the electoral body fails to nullify the election.
The Labour Party’s stance echoes sentiments expressed by some members of the public, who voiced their dissatisfaction through radio and television platforms, claiming there was no credible election in the state.
Diverse political participation
The local government elections saw the participation of 19 political parties, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party, Social Democratic Party (SDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Young Progressive Party (YPP). Despite this broad participation, the APC secured a sweeping victory across the board.
OGSIEC has maintained that the elections were conducted in line with the state’s electoral guidelines. Speaking at the announcement of results, Babatunde Osibodu assured that the Commission adhered to due process, though he did not directly address the allegations raised by opposition parties.
As the APC celebrates its victory, the opposition’s threat of legal action casts a shadow over the legitimacy of the polls. The Labour Party and other dissatisfied parties are expected to challenge the results in court, potentially setting the stage for a prolonged legal battle.
The outcome of this controversy will test the credibility of Ogun State’s electoral process and its ability to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections in the future.
