By Wale Sadeeq
PDP candidate for Oyo South Central District, Chief Joseph Tegbe, his APC and Accord counterparts, Chief Sarafadeen Alli and Kolapo Kola-Daisi, have lauded the peaceful conduct of the presidential and national assembly elections in Ibadan and environs.
Also, the PDP house of representatives for Ibadan South-West/Ibadan North-West federal constituency, Adedeji Olajide and his counterpart in Ibadan South-East/Ibadan North-East, Dapo Lam-Adesina, commended INEC for a smooth exercise.
Tegbe gave the commendation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) shortly after casting his vote at Lanioka Ward 5, Unit 7, in Ibadan South East Local Government Area.
He commended the electorate for turning out in large number to exercise their franchise and INEC for making the materials available on time.
This, he said, was a signal that the exercise would be free and fair.
“I had no hitches with the BVAS. INEC has done so well so far. For those who have yet to vote, I want to encourage them to go out and perform their civic responsibilities,” Tegbe said.
He appealed to INEC to build on its preparations for this election in order to record more successes in the March 11 governorship and house of assembly polls in the state.
Also reacting, Mr Adedapo Lam-Adeshina, who as at the time of reporting was yet to vote, told NAN at his polling booth in Ward 12 Unit 23 that the electoral materials came late.
Lam-Adesina is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ibadan South-East/North-East federal Constituency.
He said, “though electoral materials came late, but the officials and BVAS are working well.
“So far, I have not received any negative report in any part of the state and I hope it will continue like this to the end.
“I am urging the people to continue to be peaceful and not do anything that will puncture the existing peace.”
He said that he has been on the queue for 15 minutes, but that the process started not quite too long ago.
Lam-Adeshina said that the process is starting about 2 hours behind schedule and I think INEC should buckle up so that this kind of thing wouldn’t happen during the March 11 governorship election in the state.
He advised INEC to look into some of the grey areas in order not to disenfranchise electorate in the next election.
The candidate of the Accord Party, Kolapo Kola-Daisi has voted at his polling unit for the Oyo South Senatorial District race.
Kola-Daisi voted at unit 2, Ile Adepo, Ward 2, Ita-Baale/ogboriefon area of Ibadan North east local government on Saturday morning.
He is contesting against the All Progressives Congress candidate, Sharafadeen Alli and Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Olasubkanmi Tegbe and others.
Also speaking, Alli lauded the electoral umpire, although he condemned the lateness of INEC officials at his polling unit.
The former Secretary to Oyo State Government (SSG), who voted at his Unit 022, Ward 3 in Ibadan North Local Government, said that security agencies had been up and doing in the area of provision of security to the electorate.
Kola-Daisi, while speaking shortly after casting his vote, urged people to come out and exercise their franchise.
In Atiba Local Government, Oyo ward Oke-Afin 1, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi, of the house of representatives, cast his vote by 11.10 a.m.
He said that the election had been properly conducted so far, adding that Nigerians had now realised that all should not be about vote buying and electoral manipulation.
He said Nigerians could now vote for whoever they liked to lead them.
Olajide, of Ibadan South-West/Ibadan North-West federal constituency, however, complained that voting process started very late and called on INEC to extend the voting period.
He said that there were complaints across the South-West and some part of North -West council areas about the lateness.
“As you can see, there are many people gathered to vote but they are not being given the privilege to do so.
“So INEC should please extend the time, but so far so good, I’m happy that there is orderliness and comportment by people.
“Without any doubt, I have served my people well and properly, and I believe I deserve their mandate.
“It’s not by power or money that anyone should boast but by God’s grace. So if it’s the will of God for me to go again, so will it be,” he said. (NAN)
