From Bola Ogunlayi,Ibadan
The Local Government election in Oyo state witnessed voters’ apathy as pockets of electorate turn out at the polling unit to exercise their voting rights.
12 political parties excluding the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and other leading opposition parties participated in the election.
The Peoples Democratic Party announces its withdrawal from the race due to what it described as ingenuity of the electoral umpire and defeatist electoral system.
Those who participated in the exercise were happy that the Local Government Election was coming after eleven year elusiveness.
Efforts to make the grassroots people democratically elect their local leaders yielded result with the resolve from Governor Abiola Ajimobi to break the jinx during his tenure.
Various attempts by successive administrations including, Governors Rasheed Ladoja and Adebayo Alao Akala received strict resistance from politicians, often times for political motives.
Afolabi Muniru who excitedly voted in Oluyole Ward 11, said nothing could be more democratic than making him to vote for his choice candidate, whether he wins or loses at the Council poll.
However, reports from various villages in the state reveals that participation was very low as less than 50 voters were recorded in most of the units.
When our reporters visited a polling Unit at Adebayo Children Welfare Unit in Irepodun LCDA, less than 10 people have voted as at 11:36 am and at across the Polytechnic Ibadan gate, less than 20 people have voted at about 1:pm
This time around the shortcomings shifted from logistic problem to low turnout of voters.
Voting did not start in some areas until about 12 pm in some places including, Asipa, Challenge, Academy, Ijokodo and Ojoo areas all in the Ibadan metropolis.
Some of the OYSIEC Ad-hoc staffs who spoke with our reporter said, ”apart from the fact that we were not given materials on time, there is no enough vehicles to convey us to the polling units.
With the development, APC is likely to win all the contests considering the fact that they were the most visible in all the polling booths.
Other Parties that participated could not afford having Party Agents in the Polling Booths.