INEC denies Osun REC was beaten by youths at Ikirun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has denied that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Segun Agbaje, was humiliated and beaten to a coma by some angry youths at the First Baptist Church, Oke Owode, Ikirun, at the burial ceremony of Timothy Ibitoye a former REC of Ogun State.

The electoral body in a statement signed by its state spokesperson, Akin Ojewande, said Agbaje was only disrupted by some angry members of a political party while paying tribute to the former Ogun State REC on behalf of the commission.

“Some rancorous fellows believed to be members of a particular political party attempted to disrupt the service,” the commission said.

Ojewande further cautioned that “the peddler of this fake news should stop inciting the populace” and to rather work for peaceful co-existence in the state.

The booing may not be unconnected to the controversies that marred the September 22 Osun governorship election.

INEC fixed re-run for September 27 after declaring the governorship election inconclusive when it held on September 22, Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scored 254,698 votes to beat Gboyega Oyetola, his main All Progressives Congress rival who polled 254,345 votes.

The electoral body said the re-run was necessary because the margin between the PDP and APC (353 votes) was less than the number of registered voters (3,498) in the seven polling units where elections were cancelled due to disruption or technical difficulties.

The PDP protested the decision, demanding that its candidate won the election and should be declared winner. The party also approached the court in an unsuccessful bid to procure an injunction against the re-run.

The opposition party eventually agreed to participate in the poll, although with strong reservations that it would not be free or fair.

The PDP candidate, Adeleke, has however filed a petition at a tribunal sitting in Osogbo to challenge the victory of the governor-elect Oyetola.