The people of Osun state went out to the polls today to pick one of 48 candidates to succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Our correspondents are present in the three Senatorial Districts to bring you updates about the poll.
With over 1.6 million registered voters, 3,010 polling units spread across 30 local government areas, the election is seen as a final test for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the 2019 general elections.
Ahead of the election, INEC announced a ban on the use of smartphones, cameras and recording devices in polling booths.
INEC also announced that it would be using a Braille ballot guide for visually impaired voters for the first time during the election.
8:00 am: Electoral materials have arrived at many polling units across the state and the process of accreditation and voting is set to commence.
8:15 am: Voting has commenced in many units polling units.
Here is a look at the set up at Oke-Adan Ward III, A.U.D Primary School Araromi, polling unit 1.
9: 01 am: Accreditation and voting ongoing at the L.E.A Popo high school at Iragbiji where the APC candidate will be casting his vote.
9:15 am:
An election observer with YIAGA Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, says the process commenced early and has gone on well so far.
“There are a few non-identification of fingerprints but what we can observe is the enhanced card reader that was deployed for this election is being used to recapture the fingerprints of voters whose fingerprints were not authenticated by the card readers. So far so good.”
He, however, said it was too early to assess the election.
9:41 am: Meanwhile, here are some quick facts about the election:
* PVC collection rate before the election was over 70%
* Uncollected PVCs —over 20%: over 400,000 yet to be collected
* Over 1.6 Million registered voters
* There are 775 voting points in the state
* 3,010 polling units are spread across the 30 local government areas of the state
* Out of the 30 LGAs, Osogbo has the highest voting population with over 120,000 registered voters
* Ife Central, Olorunda, Iwo, Ifelodun and Ilesa East are other LGAs with big voting populations
9:46 am: PDP’s candidate Ademola Adeleke has voted. Adeleke who voted in Sagba /Abogunde Ward 2, Unit 9, in Ede North Local Government Area, says he is optimistic of victory.
10:06 am: APC Candidate Votes
Mr Gboyega Oyetola, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Osun governorship election, and his wife have also voted.
Oyetola told journalists that the process was smooth and peaceful.
10: 31: Meanwhile, the president of the rights groups Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, has praised the security agencies, residents of the state and the contestants for their conduct.
Odumakin, who is an observer for the election, spoke to our correspondent in Ife.
“There is massive turnout. We’ve also seen that the security agencies have displayed the highest level of professionalism for now,” she said.
She also, said the political players “have comported themselves for now” and that “INEC has lived up to expectation for now”.
10:54 am:
Turnout in parts of Iwo LGA visited appears high. Some of the people our correspondent spoke with say the turnout is high.
The atmosphere has been peaceful and some voters even came with their children.
Voters said the ad-hoc staff turned out on time with say before 7 am, and voting started right on time. There has been minimal issues with the smart card reader and elections have been going on fine.
11:27 am: Omisore Votes
Candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Iyiola Omisore, has also voted.
Omisore voted at Moore polling unit, St. Gabriel School in Ile-Ife.
11: 40 am:
A voter, Akintayo Jimoh says the card reader malfunctioned at St Georges primary school Unit 6, ward 10 Offatedo in Egbedore Local Government Area.
11: 42 am: Police Arrest Suspected Vote Buyers!
A team of police personnel on election duty in Iwo Local Government Area of Osun State have arrested two suspected vote buyers.
The police said when the men were searched, the sum of N604,000 was found on them.
12:15 pm:
Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas), speaks with journalists in Iragbiji, Osun State.
He commended INEC for improvements made in the conduct of the election and the security situation in the state, saying the process was very calm.
13: 12 pm: Voting is expected to end at 2 pm but everyone on the line at that time will be allowed to vote.
13: 28 pm: Governor Aregbesola Votes.
Meanwhile, the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, has voted at Ifofin Ward 8, Unit 1.
14:00 Pm: Voting has ended at polling units across Osun State.
14: 33 pm:
Voting ended at Ifofin Ward 8, unit 1 in governor’s hometown in Ilesa at his polling unit at exact 2:00 pm, and sorting of ballot papers started at 2:30pm.
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