LG polls: Makinde urges electorate to hold chairmen, councillors accountable, as rain slows down process; Ido election holds Sunday

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has urged residents of the state to hold those elected as chairmen and councillors in the 33 local government councils of the state responsible for good governance.
Makinde stated this on Saturday, shortly after he voted at polling unit 001, ward 11, Abayomi area, in Ibadan North-East LG.
According to the governor, the local government election is a process to elect some people at the grassroots government.
“This is not the end in its self, but a means to an end; the end is democracy, good governance for Oyo state.
“So, we must be internally vigilant. Even though people are being elected today, you have to hold them accountable, just as I’m being held accountable.” Makinde stated.
On his impression about the poll, the governor said reports at his disposal showed that the election process was peaceful.
He said that security personnel had been deployed to maintain law and order during the election and expressed optimism that the whole exercise would be successful at the end of the day.
Makinde arrived at his polling unit at exactly 11:30 am. He was accredited and voted at 11:35 am.
Many residents of Ibadan defied the restriction of movement ordered by the state government during the election.
Vehicular movements were still observed around Ring Road, Adeoyo, Oluyole, Dugbe, Challenge, Mokola, Ojo areas of Ibadan as at 7:50a.m. in spite of the 6a.m – 3p.m. restriction order.
Commercial vehicles were freely seen conveying passengers to different destinations even as security operatives were absent on the roads.

Some respondents, however, said that the early morning rainfall in Ibadan may have contributed to the indifference by residents, which also affected the early distribution of electoral materials to polling centres.
Also, the distribution of electoral materials was delayed in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government of Oyo State, as the distribution started about 8:25a.m.
Mr Sunday Adeoye, the Electoral Officer for Iseyin Local Government, attributed the delay to the early rainfall in the area .
About 8:15a.m. there was no sign of electoral officers or voting materials at Ward 03, Units 12 and 13 at Iseyin District Grammar School, although a few voters were seen checking their names on the voting list.
Meanwhile, at the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) at Oluyole in Ibadan South-West Local Government, electoral officers were seen at 8.25 a.m. arranging for materials to be delivered at polling centres.
One of the supervisors said that the delay was due to the rainfall and other logistics.
“We have been here since yesterday night, but the vehicles to convey electoral materials arrived late this morning due to the rain.
“Some officers have already left, anyway, but many are still around waiting for other logistics to be arranged,” he said.
Meanwhile, as at 8:53a.m at OYSIEC office, Agodi, Ibadan North LGA, officials were observed distributing non-sensitive materials.
At Ibadan North West, Onireke, the dispatch of materials started as early as 7a.m. with officials distributing tags to security operatives.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) says the suspended conduct of chairmanship and councillorship elections in Ido Local Government Area will hold on Sunday.
Mr Isiaka Olagunju, the Commission Chairman, made this known to newsmen on Saturday in Ibadan.
OYSIEC had earlier suspended the election in the local government area following the omission of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) logo on the ballot papers.
Olagunju expressed regret over the omission, saying that the commission had decided to conduct the election on Sunday between 8 a.m and 3 p.m.
He said that the commission had contacted the contractor that handled the printing of ballot papers, promising to deliver them today so that the election could go on as planned on Sunday.
The OYSIEC chairman appealed to residents of Ido Local Government area to remain calm, regretting inconveniences the election postponement might have caused them.
Olagunju reiterated the commission’s commitment to a free, fair and transparent election.