Low turnout of voters was recorded on Saturday as local government elections were being held in Oyo State.
PMParrot can confirm that accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously across many polling centres in the state.
The exercise is holding in the 33 local governments and 35 Local Council Development Areas newly created by the state government.
Security personnel from the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) were sighted at polling units as well as strategic locations in the state.
Many residents also complied with the restriction order on vehicular movement although only few voters turned up for the exercise in which the opposition Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and several other parties are not participating.
While officials of the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) arrived on time with the necessary voting materials at many polling units, there were few voters on the queue.
Meanwhile, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his wife Chief (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi were seen at their Ward 9, Unit 20, Ibadan South West local government voting center exercising their civic rights.
Speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Community Grammar School, Oluyole, Ibadan, the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi expressed his satisfaction at the peaceful conduct of the election.
The Governor who was accompanied to the polling unit by his wife, Chief (Mrs) Florence Ajimobi commended the people in the State for continuing with the peace process that his administration has started in the past seven years, also stressed that despite some misunderstandings that usually accompanied an exercise like this, Oyo State has come back to remain peaceful.
Governor Ajimobi expressed confidence that his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) will win all the chairmanship and councilors’ seats.
Also speaking in the same vein, the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Mr Abiodun Odude hinted that all the polling units have been peaceful – at least all those that they have monitored since 6 o’ clock on Saturday morning.
Similarly, the Coordinator, Forum of Civil Society of Nigeria, an independent monitoring group who monitored the election commended OYSIEC for organizing free, fair and rancour free election, adding that other state Governors in Nigeria should emulate Oyo State in conducting an election that will be acceptable at the grassroot level.
Others who spoke on the election included the present caretaker chairman of Ibadan South West Local Government, Mr Gbenga Olaleye, Governor Ajimobi Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture, Hon. Sakirullahi Fajinmi and the APC candidate for Ibadan South East Local Government, Hon. Abimbola Omiyale.
They all applauded OYSIEC for conducting a free, fair and acceptable election.
It would be recalled that only twelve political parties excluding the main opposition parties like PDP and Accord participated in Saturday’s election.
Packaged by Oyedapo Oyewole and Dare Alesinloye
