Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has carpeted the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) over what he described as its ill-preparedness for the local government election held in the state on Saturday.
Alli, who represents Oyo South Senatorial District on the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said this while addressing newsmen at his family compound located at Ward 3, in Ibadan North Local Government Area.
He decried reported cases of late arrival of electoral materials in some parts of the state, alleging that lots of abnormalities characterised the conduct of the election.
“I have had complains from Iseyin, I have had complains from Okeho since yesterday. There was a problem from Ayete yesterday. Polling officers are yet to arrive at Idikan Onibata. In Ward 4 and Ward 5 of Ibadan North West Local Government Area, we kept on complaining.
“As I am talking, they said they are on their way. When the election is going to close at 3.pm and they are yet to arrive as at 11.am.
“It shows that the OYSIEC is not prepared or they are up to some games. Definitely, it is one out of the two.
“If by 11am materials are yet to arrive this place which is about five to 10 minutes from both the OYSIEC Headquarters and Ibadan North Local Government Area Headquarters, what are we talking about?
“This is Ward 3 in my local government area and this is where I have been voting. Last year, we were here. By this time the election was almost concluded,” the chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters added.
The chairman OYSIEC, Isiaka Olagunju, admitted to the lapses as he reportedly said the commission was promptly attending to the feedback on the late arrival of election materials across polling units in the state.
As reported by the Vanguard Newspaper, Olagunju said this while speaking with the newsmen at the commission’s headquarters, shortly after observing the voting exercise across the Ibadan metropolis.
