UK Cheers Adeleke, Flags BVAS, Vote Buying, Accessibility Issues in Osun Poll
Michael Olugbode, Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade, Folalumi Alaran in Abuja, Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo, Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi, Hammed Shittu in Ilorin, Segun James in Lagos, Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki
The United Kingdom expressed congratulations to Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, following his re-election, acknowledging that his victory marks a hopeful future for Nigeria's citizens. However, the British High Commission raised concerns over potential issues that could tarnish the election's credibility. These included allegations of vote-buying, interference with voters, accessibility difficulties for people with disabilities and the elderly, as well as overcrowding at polling stations due to the limited and slow deployment of BVAS devices.
Despite overall peaceful conduct of the election, the British High Commission noted isolated incidents of tension, voter interference, including vote-buying across party lines, and challenges in making the electoral process accessible to all. The commission urged relevant institutions to learn from the observed shortcomings ahead of the 2027 general election, pointing to recommendations from civil society monitoring organizations as valuable in enhancing public confidence, transparency, and accountability.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo celebrated Governor Adeleke and urged him to continue delivering good governance and meeting the needs of his people.
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