Protesters in their hundreds, especially those loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party, on Monday stormed the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State to protest the position of the electoral umpire that there must be a rerun of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.
The protesters faulted the electoral umpire for not declaring the candidate of the PDP, Senator Ademola Adeleke, as the winner of the election.
INEC had on Sunday ordered fresh ballots in seven polling units in Orolu, Osogbo, Ife North and Ife South Local Government Areas.
The election was declared inconclusive by INEC because the difference between the votes scored by the two leading parties, PDP and All Progressives Congress, were lower than the number of votes cancelled.
After the collation of all the results from the 30 council areas of the state, Adeleke of the PDP had 254,698, while APC’s Gboyega Oyetola polled 254,345.
The candidate of the Action Democratic Party, Moshood Adeoti, scored 49,742, while Akinbade had 7,681 votes and Omisore with 128,049 votes.
INEC said the rerun would take place in seven polling units located in Orolu, Osogbo, Ife North and Ife South council areas on Thursday.
But the protesters faulted the position of INEC.
Armed with various placards, the demanded the declaration of Adeleke as the winner of the election.
One of the protesters, Adebayo Adisa, said: “The peaceful protest was staged to make INEC prove its integrity.
“What happened on Saturday and the announcement of Sunday that the election was inconclusive is not tenable.
“We have already seen the PDP candidate leading with 353 votes, yet he was not declared (winner).
“In Ekiti, some election results were cancelled but INEC went on to announce (Dr. Kayode) Fayemi.
“Even in Kogi State.
“What we want is our mandate in Osun State.”