The ongoing Osun State governorship election was hit by allegations of security interference and disruption on Saturday, after armed policemen allegedly invaded a Registration Area Centre (RAC) in Ife East Local Government Area and suspected thugs disrupted voting at the polling unit of former governor Rauf Aregbesola in Ilesa.
At Ife East Ward 10, also known as Modakeke Ward 3, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s campaign council and a member of the House of Representatives alleged that police personnel stormed the RAC centre, fired tear gas and carted away election materials.
The member representing Ede North/South/Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Salam, raised the alarm in a statement on Saturday morning and called on the Nigeria Police Force to investigate the incident.
“There is an allegation that some of your men in this video just invaded a RAC centre in Ife East Local Government Ward 10 (Modakeke ward 3) and fired tear gas to disrupt distribution of election materials at a RAC centre.
“The materials have been carted away,” he said, urging the police to “investigate and act now to protect a credible electoral process in Osun state.”
A video shared by Salam on Facebook purportedly showed policemen loading a vehicle before leaving the location, while a voice in the background narrated the alleged incident in English and Yoruba.
The allegation was separately corroborated by the spokesperson of the Imole Campaign Council, Pelumi Olajengbesi, who said police personnel allegedly fired tear gas at people gathered at the RAC centre ahead of the movement of election officials and materials to polling units.
“We urgently call the attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security authorities to this situation.
“We ask that the circumstances be immediately investigated and appropriate steps taken to ensure calm and allow the electoral process to proceed peacefully,” Olajengbesi said.
He insisted that “the people must be allowed to exercise their right to vote without fear or intimidation.”
Olajengbesi also appealed to residents at the affected location to remain calm and law-abiding while efforts were made to resolve the situation.
Voting disrupted at Aregbesola’s polling unit
Meanwhile, voting was temporarily disrupted at the polling unit of former Osun State Governor and immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in Ilesa, following an alleged invasion by suspected thugs.
The incident reportedly forced some voters to leave the polling unit and interrupted the voting process, creating tension among voters and other participants.
Some party agents alleged that the suspected thugs were affiliated with the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the APC agent at the polling unit, Mrs Abogunloko Olufunke, rejected the allegation, insisting that the individuals were not known to her or the party.
“Those thugs are not our members. I don’t know them,” she said.
The circumstances surrounding the disruption remained unclear at the time of filing the report, while details of possible arrests or intervention by security personnel were still being awaited.
The alleged incidents have heightened concerns over security and the integrity of the electoral process as voters across Osun State cast their ballots in the governorship election.
