Elections update: INEC distributes 1,100,346 ballot papers in Osun

Ahead of Saturday’s presidential election, the Osun State Resident Electoral Commission, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, said the commission has ensured adequate preparation to ensure the success of the process. Ogunmola said at the distribution of some materials for the presidential and National Assembly elections to the various local governments in the state that 1,100,346 ballot papers had been received and would be used for the elections as against 1,047,949, Permanent Voter Cards that were issued. He said the 52,397 increase in the number of ballot papers distributed was meant to cater for any unforeseen circumstances. Addressing journalist before the distribution, he said, “Adequate security arrangement has been made for the distribution of these materials to their various locations. We are fully prepared.” Osogbo, Ife Central and Ife East local government areas topped the ballot papers distribution list with 88,908; 66,038 and 62,444 respectively. Meanwhile, various political parties’ representatives, who were present at the event, expressed mixed feelings, especially as to the five per cent addition of ballot papers as against the number of PVCs issued. The Peoples Democratic Party spokesperson for Osun State, Mr. Bola Ajao, said the party could only hope that everything would be successful at the end. He said, “I cannot really understand the motive behind the five per cent addition, though the commission gave us its reason. We can only hope that things will get better. We had a stakeholders’ meeting here yesterday and the kits have been released to us. “As long as there’s accountability, though, there’s nothing to worry about.” However, the All Progressives Congress spokesman for the state, Kunle Oyatomi, expressed satisfaction with the process. “So far, we have to give kudos to INEC. We have monitored and confirmed that the materials on the ground correspond with the paperwork. We are satisfied with the distribution process so far,” he said. The Central Youth Representative for the state’s chapter of the Labour Party, Mr. Rasaq Ajibade, also described the process as fair enough.