The head of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, Babatunde Osibodu, recently declared that the All Progressives Congress emerged victorious in the Saturday Local Government elections in the state. Osibodu announced that the APC secured all 20 local government seats and 236 councillorship wards in the state. This announcement was made at the commission’s headquarters in Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, during a live broadcast unveiling the official results.
A total of 613,156 votes were cast in the chairmanship elections across the 20 local government areas, with 19 political parties participating. These parties included the Accord Party, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, Action Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress, Allied People’s Movement, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Labour Party, Peoples Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressive Party, Action People’s Party, Action Alliance, Boot Party, People’s Redemption Party, National Rescue Movement, and Zenith Labour Party.
Despite the declared results, various opposition parties have raised concerns about the election’s integrity and conduct. The NNPP Chairman in the state, Femi Aina, criticized the election process and urged the state House of Assembly to investigate OGSIEC’s handling of the election. Aina questioned the use of business cards for voting, insufficient ballot papers, and delays in the arrival of OGSIEC officials, denouncing the election as corrupt.
Similarly, the Labour Party’s state chairman, Lookman Jagun, rejected the election results, labeling it a sham and calling for its cancellation due to alleged violations of the state’s electoral laws. Dr. Sunday Solarin, the PDP Secretary in the state, also criticized the election, describing it as fraudulent and accusing APC supporters of attacking opposition members.