The Peoples Democratic has won the bye-election into the Oyo State House of Assembly, beating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to the second place.
The seat of Ibarapa East became vacant following the death of the former speaker of the State Assembly, Michael Adeyemo.
Adebo Ogundoyin of the PDP was declared the winner affter he polled 6,277 votes while APC’s Olukunle Adeyemo garnered 4,619 votes.
Announcing the results, the returning officer, Dr Ayodeji Omole of the University of Ibadan said Adebodun Adepoju of the Accord Party scored 2,859 votes and Rasheedat Oyewumi of Fresh Democratic Party scored 33 votes.
Others were Adekemi Raheem of Hope Democratic Party 14 votes, Grace Olarinde of the Nigerian Peoples Congress 60 and Martins Adeyemo of Mega Party of Nigeria nine votes.
Omole said 14,332 people were accredited out of 44,077 total registered voters.
“Total votes cast is 14,179 while valid votes are 13,871 and 308 votes were rejected.
He declared Ogundoyin as the winner ”having scored the highest votes as stipulated in the electoral law.
In his remark at the end of the election, Mr Adedeji Soyebi, the National Electoral Commissioner for Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, said the election was successful and gave kudos to the people of the constituency for conducting themselves peacefully.
“We have little issue with card readers unlike previous elections because we used enhanced smart card readers now” Soyebi noted.
He also commended security personnel deployed to the area for their efforts toward peaceful and violence free exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) who monitored the bye election in Eruwa and Lanlate towns reports that there was heavy presence of security operatives led by Mr Abiodun Odude, the Oyo state commissioner of police.
Polling officials and election materials arrived early in all polling units while accreditation and voting started timely and smoothly with the use of effective card readers in all the polling units visited.
Only three agents of Accord, APC and PDP were present at every polling unit visited in Lanlate and Eruwa, though seven political parties participated in the bye election .
The turnout of voters, however, was low at ward 6, polling units 001 – 005, Sango area, LA primary school , ward 05, polling units 001-006 and other polling units visited.
Mr Hamza Adamu, the presiding officer, in ward 09, polling unit 002, Lanlate, said the exercise was peaceful and hitch-free.
Mrs Abigael Folorunsho, the PDP agent at unit 002, ward 05, Eruwa, Mrs Abigael Folorusho, attributed the low turnout to fear of being attacked as earlier rumoured that the election would be violent.
Folorunsho, commended INEC for given level playing ground for all participating political parties.
