Lamentations in Ogun as over 1m voters are disenfranchised

Over one millions eligible voters in 236 wards across Ogun State wore forlorn looks as they could not exercise their civic duty during the Presidential and national Assembly elections held penultimate Saturday in the state. Abnitio, more than 1.7 million eligible voters had been registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the last elections, but, over one million voters could not cast votes to their choice candidates due to their failure to obtain Permanent Voter Cards before the elections. Most of the affected voters had besieged their polling units across the state with Temporary Voters Cards, but, we’re turned back by the officials of the INEC. Out of 1.7million registered voters in the state, about six hundred luckily cast their votes while over one million were disenfranchised by the INEC in the state. According to the state collation officer for INEC, Dr. Duro Oni from University of Lagos, number of registered voters was 594,975 while the total number of votes cast was 559,613. Out of the votes cast, the All Progressives Congress polled 308,290 to defeat the People’s Democratic Party which scored 207,950 while 26,441 votes were voided. Prominent persons Some prominent persons including former Speaker of House of Representatives , Dimeji Bankole , ex-Special Assistant to former President Olusegun Obasanjo on women affairs, Mrs.Titilayo Ajanaku, a senator-elect from Ogun Central, Prince Lanre Tejuoso among others were disenfranchised due to their inability to obtain PVC. In many polling units such as ward15 unit 13 Ibara 11, Abeokuta South many people especially old people were turned back because they did not have PVCs. Also at ward 11 unit 21 , voting did not take place as the INEC officials were absent prompting the voters to be stranded. At ward 10 unit 1and 2 Abeokuta north, out of 704 registered voters only 18 persons cast their vote. The total sum of the eligible voters who were disenfranchised was 1,082146 . In Ijebu North-East which was won by APC had 36,058 as registered voters , but, 15,214 voters received PVCs . At Odogboolu which was also won by APC, the registered voters were 70,685 while 25,752 obtained their PVCs. Abeokuta North won by APC recorded 125,485 as registered voters while 30,556 had PVCs . In Ogun waterside which was won by the PDP had 37,739 voters registered while 17,092 voters had PVCs. In Ado-Odo/Ota won by APC, 228,261 voters registered but, only 60,635 got their PVCs. Abeokuta-South won by APC had 180,218 as registered voters but, recorded 51,905 as those that collected their PVCs. Remo-North which was won by PDP, 39,180 were registered voters while 16,960 voters were accredited. At Ewekoro which was won by APC, the registered voters were 62,425 while 14,193 got the PVCs. Obafemi-Owode which was won by APC had 74,871 as registered voters while 24,402 voters got the PVCs. The situation in Imeko-Afon which was won by PDP was not different as the registered voters were 74,871 but, those who were accredited for the elections were 24,402 voters. Sagamu whichwas won by the PDP had a sum of 77955 as registered voters while those who were accredited for the election were 37772. In Ijebu-Ode which was won APC 55127 voters were registered while 25,973 voters were accredited. In Odeda which was won by APC those who registered for the elections were 63,935 while those who were accredited were 17,463. In Ijebu-East won by PDP, the number of those that registered was 55,641 while 22004 voters were accredited. In Egbado-South which was won by APC, number of registered voters was 88,754 while the number of those that were accredited was 29,713. In Ijebu-North which was won by the PDP, number of the voters registered was 95135 while those who were accredited were 16,706. In Ifo which was won by APC, 146,686 was recorded for those that had registered for the election while 41,561 was recorded for those that have collected their PVCs . Egbado-North won by APC 92,312 was recorded for those that registered for the election while 36,222 was registered for those that have collected their PVCs. In Ikenne which was won by PDP, the number of those that registered for the election was 44,728 while the accredited voters were 22,213. The Ipokia situation was the same with others as it recorded 98,905 as registered voters, but, had 41,258 as those that have collected their PVCs.