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| Streets leading to polling units where election is currently ongoing in Osogbo fully militarised. Soldiers, police, SSS, NSCDC officials are standing guard in adjourning routes to the pu 17, Ward 5 of the LGA. |
The police have confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that some persons are being prevented from accessing some polling units where election is taking place in Thursday’s re-run election in Osun State.
Reports that people are being prevented from accessing polling units or an entire local government area have inundated the social media since polls opened on Thursday morning.
Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party is squaring off with Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress in today’s re-run, whose outcome will now determine the winner of the September 22 governorship election.
Ali Janga, a police commissioner who is monitoring security arrangement in Orolu Local Government Area, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that people are being turned back, but said only if they were persons identified as having no business going near the polling area.
Re-run election is going on in three polling units in Orolu LGA.
“We check people for their voters’ cards and ensure that they are registered to vote in any of the three polling units in Orolu LGA before we let them pass,” Mr Janga said. “The polling unit has been written on the card.”
“If your unit is not in any of these places we will ask you to go back,” the police chief said.
The commissioner described re-run process across the LGA as peaceful, saying reports that people are being summarily detained are untrue.
“No body was arrested by the police,” Mr Janga said despite being told that a PREMIUM TIMES reporter was detained earlier in the day. “People are feeding out false information sponsored by politicians.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also confirmed receiving numerous reports of intimidation of accredited journalists and observers by security agencies.
Voting is expected to close by 2:00 p.m.across the four local government areas where today’s re-run is holding.
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