Ahead of the Saturday’s bye-election in Osun West Senatorial District, the State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that 68,399 ballot papers to be used in election are missing 9NEWS NIGERIA reports.
Chairman of the state arm of the party, Soji Adagunodo, who made the disclosure said the discrepancies in the number of ballot papers delivered to at least four local governments was discovered on Thursday.
Adagunodo claimed the discrepancies were noticed in ballot papers meant for several wards in Ayedaade, Ede North, Egbedore and Isokan Local Governments of the Senatorial District.
He alleged that the serial numbering on the boxes containing the ballot papers do not tally with those on the records provided by INEC.
In a statement he personally signed, Adagunodo demanded an immediate “full disclosure on the reasons for the discrepancies in order to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process and retain the confidence of voters in the electoral umpire.”
He insisted that INEC has a duty to explain the whereabouts of the “ballot papers and prove beyond doubt that they have not been tampered with by any unauthorized persons.”
Noting that the party’s agents in all ten local governments have been put on high alert, Adagunodo also urged security agents and the general public to be vigilante of “illegal movement of certain items in ambulances, refuse disposal vans and some state government vehicles between Friday morning and Saturday evening.”
Adagunodo urged party members and supporters to remain vigilant ahead of tomorrow’s election and report any suspicious activities to the law enforcement agencies and party leaders in their local governments.
