#OsunDecides: APC, PDP move to attract voters with cash ahead of rerun

Less than 48 hours to the re-run of Osun governorship election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have stormed the affected four local government areas where the supplementary election is expected to be conducted on Thursday to canvass votes.

Seven polling units are affected in Orolu, Osogbo, Ife North and Ife South.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) called the supplementary poll after declaring the election held on Saturday inconclusive because the margin of win between PDP’s Ademola Adeleke and APC’s Gboyega Oyetola was less than the number of registered voters in the seven units where polling was disrupted.

In the inconclusive election, Mr Adeleke scored 254,698 votes, coming ahead of his main challenger, Mr Oyetola, who polled 254,345 votes, resulting in a difference of 353 votes, a number that is less than the over three thousand cancelled votes across the seven polling units in the affected LGAs.

Our reporter who visited these LGAs gathered that agents of the two political parties; APC and PDP, have been stormed the areas with cash, seeking votes.

On Monday, a chieftain of the PDP, Fatai Diekola was arrested in Osogbo by the police having followed some chieftains of the party to Alekuwodo area where one of the polling units where rerun will be conducted is located to canvass votes ahead of the Thursday’s second ballot.

Also, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki reached out to Iyiola Omisore, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ile Ife who came third in the election and stands no chance of overhauling the two candidates ahead of him in the supplementary poll.

Mr Omisore is seen as key to the outcome of the rerun.

“After meeting with Senator Iyiola Omisore, I am more optimistic of a good outing for PDP,” said Mr Saraki. “I am more confident now.”

On the other hand, Mr Omisore affirmed that the APC had also reached out to him.

“I have given my programmes to both APC and PDP; payment of salaries and pensions. Good governance is what is important to me,” he said.

Mr Omisore noted that any of the two parties ready to dance to commit to his programme will have his support.

CAMPUS REPORTER was also reliably informed that meeting held for several hours in Osogbo at the Secretariat of the PDP where Moshood Adeoti, the candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) was listed amongst the personalities to be met before Thursday.

An APC agent in Modakeke, Ile Ife who spoke with CAMPUS REPORTER under the condition of anonymity said community leaders have met and that the party has agreed to pay ‘necessary fees’.

“APC would have won without issue but party leaders at different communities cheated their people,” said the source. “The money given to them before the election was not totally disbursed. While the other party pumped out enough money. We have a traditional leader in Ife now who has embarked on house-to-house meeting with influential persons in Ife for APC.”

Residents also told our correspondents that the agents in their wards and units have been parading their residence asking for those that have voters’ card.

“I already submitted my name and ready to vote,” a resident said, adding: “It is a game of the highest bidder now.”