Osun Rerun: INEC Tasked On Objectivity, Fairness

Some residents of Awka have been reacting to declaration of Osun governorship election as inconclusive by the INEC.

Political Correspondent, Chukwuemeka Modilim sampled people’s opinion on the issue and reports that last Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
conducted Osun State governorship election in the thirty local government areas of the state, which was contested by forty eight political parties.
However, INEC declared the exercise inconclusive because the number of votes cancelled, amounting to three thousand four hundred and ninety-eight, in seven polling units where there were irregularities was higher than three hundred and fifty- three votes by which the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke is leading his closest rival, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola of APC.
The electoral body also fixed supplementary election for the affected polling units on Thursday this week in order to conclude the exercise. Commenting on the development, A legal Practitioner, Barrister Frank Akunaekwe explained that the Electoral Umpire did the right thing as the Electoral Law provides that when the number of cancelled votes in an election is higher than the margin with which a candidate is leading, INEC should declare the election inconclusive and fix a rerun for the polling units where votes were cancelled.
He however, advised INEC to be consistent in the application of Electoral Laws in the interest of equity and justice. On his part, the member representing Njikoka One Constituency, Dr. Timothy Ifedioramma also added that INEC acted in accordance with the Electoral Act.
The lawmaker also called on the Electoral Umpire to allow the wish of the people of Osun State to reflect in the supplementary poll, stressing that the rerun is a crucial test for INEC as it is the last
major poll before the 2019 general elections
A Public Affairs Analyst, Mr. Anthony Aniebue urged INEC to be consistent in the application of Electoral Laws in election, even when it does not favour the ruling party to avoid the electorate pointing accusing fingers on them.