LG election: NNPP blows hot, accuses OGSIEC of bias

The Ogun State local government elections held on November 16, 2024, faced widespread allegations of malpractice and delays.

The Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) has been accused of poor organization, with voters across the state experiencing significant challenges.

Honorable Semiu Akingbala, the Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), raised concerns about the absence of OGSIEC officials in Ososun Ward 8, Ifo Local Government Area, which has 49 polling units. Similar complaints were echoed in other regions, leaving many voters waiting for hours to cast their votes.

By 3 PM, updates from polling stations revealed slow and uneven electoral processes in several wards.

Public Relations Officer of the NNPP in Ogun State, Comrade Omokehinde Olowu, criticized OGSIEC for logistical failures. “Most of the OGSIEC officials came around 2 PM when most electorates had already gone home,” Olowu said. “They arrived with only 50 ballot papers—50 for Councillors and 50 for Chairmen. This exercise seems suspicious. Where are the missing ballot papers? Have they been diverted elsewhere? It’s clear that rigging practices were underway before the officials arrived.”

Olowu also alleged that NNPP members in various wards were intimidated and chased away by armed thugs allegedly working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). “No results should be declared from polling units where elections did not take place. Our party agents diligently monitored the process across the state,” he added.

In Ofada Ward, NNPP councillor candidate Prince Adenekan Azeez Aribidesi reported that OGSIEC officials arrived at polling unit 07 at OOLG Primary School, Ibafo, at 1:45 PM. However, in polling unit 08, NNPP members and agents allegedly faced harassment from individuals linked to the APC, reportedly with the support of police officers.

At polling units 012 and 013 in Orimerunmu, OGSIEC officials eventually arrived, but election materials were still missing in polling unit 019 at Asese and polling unit 027 at Adebimpe, leaving voters stranded. Similar delays were reported in Magboro, Mosafote (polling unit 098), and at Mr. Biggs, Ibafo (polling unit 090), where voters endured the heat while waiting for officials. Polling units 035 in Ibafo and 019 at Asese Primary School remained unattended throughout the day.

In Ilushin Ward, Waterside constituency, NNPP member Mr. Ajayi Oluwatimilehin expressed frustration over the late arrival of election materials at 1 PM. “I can’t express my sadness and disappointment over this situation. Is this an election or something else? We stand for change, and I hope the authorities address this unacceptable situation,” he said in a phone interview.

These delays and irregularities have fueled allegations of bias and incompetence against OGSIEC. Many NNPP leaders have accused the electoral body of colluding with the APC to manipulate the results.

Efforts to contact OGSIEC for clarification were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report, raising further questions about the credibility of the elections. Stakeholders at local and national levels are calling for immediate transparency and corrective actions to restore public confidence in the electoral process.