The Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Tayese BamuLand, Honourable Semiu Akingbala, has raised an alarm over the absence of officials from the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) in Ososun Ward, Ifo Local Government Area, during Saturday’s local government election.
In a widely circulated video, Akingbala, a prominent grassroots politician, expressed frustration at the situation. Standing among party supporters eager to cast their votes, he accused OGSIEC of undermining the electoral process.
“Hon. Akingbala is my name from Ososun Ward,” he said. “This is a situation report from Ososun Ward. When you look at what is happening now, we are still expecting OGSIEC officials, and none of them is here. Nigerians need to remain vigilant because we don’t know what their intentions are.”
He added, “Our people are ready to vote, but OGSIEC is not on the ground. We cannot continue to be fooled by these manipulations. It’s time for Nigerians to take back their mandate and demand transparency in the electoral process.”
Akingbala revealed through a phone interview that Ososun Ward 8, comprising 49 polling units, had not seen any OGSIEC presence as of mid-morning. “The absence of electoral officials casts doubt on the credibility of this exercise,” he stated.
In Ijebu-Ode, similar concerns were raised. The Ogun State NNPP Public Relations Officer, Comrade Olowu Omokehinde, told our correspondent, “No OGSIEC official has arrived at any polling unit in Ijebu-Ode. It seems the ruling party is colluding with OGSIEC to rig this election. Let’s see how they plan to write results for an election that did not hold.”
Adding to the allegations, Honourable Fatahi Modawoni, a 2023 NNPP Waterside assembly candidate, said party members across Ogun State have shown up in large numbers to exercise their rights but are being disenfranchised.
“Our members are on the ground to vote, yet there are no electoral officials. This deliberate delay is unacceptable and calls for an urgent investigation,” Modawoni said.
Efforts to contact OGSIEC for an official response were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. However, local stakeholders are urging the commission to provide immediate clarity on the situation to restore public confidence in the electoral process.
This incident adds to growing concerns about the integrity of local government elections in Ogun State, with many questioning the commitment of the authorities to conduct free and fair polls.
