Violence again mars voter registration in Osun: A fresh crisis broke out in the Ile-Ife area of Osun State on Thursday over the voter registration and collection of permanent voter cards exercise ahead of the August 9 governorship election in the state. Our correspondent, who visited some registration centres in the area, learnt that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission had said that they could not work until normalcy returns. The INEC officials on Thursday did not register nor issue the vote card to anyone in the areas visited by our correspondent. Among the areas visited were Obafemi Awolowo University, Aladanla, Yemo and Ede Road, all in Ile Ife. It will be recalled that the registration exercise, which started in Osun State on Wednesday last week was marred by violence on Tuesday. There were also reported clashes between members of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state on Wednesday though both parties had denied their involvement. However, eyewitnesses said the Thursday’s violence was “a revenge by some PDP members.” The police in the town intensified their patrol on Thursday. An eyewitness at Aladanla said, “Many people have been here today but they could neither register nor collect their cards. The officials came this morning but refused to work. “The INEC officials said they were ordered not to work unless they are sure that there is no crisis. I think what happened today (Thursday) is that the PDP members want to revenge Wednesday’s attacks on them.” Another eyewitness, identified simply as Sola, said, “If not for the frequent patrol by the police, there would have been crisis. I saw the officials around but I did not see them work, maybe it is because of the small fight this morning.” The Chairman of the PDP in the state, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa, had in an interview with journalists on Wednesday said four members of the PDP were shot at Atakumosa and eight others brutalised by some thugs allegedly hired by the APC. “They shot four of our people today and brutalised eight others. Some of the victims were taken to the hospital for treatment,” Olaoluwa said. The PDP chairman in Osun East Senatorial District, Mr. Joshua Ogunleye, also alleged that some known APC thugs fired several gunshots at Ifewara and Okebode to scare people away from the registration exercise.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 06:05:45 +0000
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