The President of the Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin has condemned what she described as a “new version of vote-buying” in the ongoing gubernatorial election in Osun State.
Okei-Odumakin, an election observer, who spoke with AN24 in Osogbo, the state capital of the state narrated the mode of vote-buying she experienced in one of t polling units she refrained from mentioning.
Although she said the election has been generally commendable, the observer noted that “It is only in one place we saw another version of vote-buying, which is sad. In the electoral act, you cannot take your phone to the cubicle, when a phone is taken there to get the picture of who you vote for, it’s another dimension of vote-buying”.
She added that it is a litmus test for the 2023 general elections and urged all stakeholders to do “less talks and more works”.
She commended the security operatives deployed for the election for their professionalism and courtesy, which according to her, doesn’t intimidate the “enthusiastic voters”.
However, Okei-Odumakin said, “Although in Iragbiji, Unit 1A and 1B at ward 3, only one card reader is working. People are not agitated and the personnel there have consulted the right authority. They need a new card reader there as fast as possible.”
Furthermore, she disclosed that Women Arise deployed observers all over the local governments, and had visited Osogbo, Isale Aro, Salvation Army Primary School, Salvation Army Secondary, Estate, Ede North, Ede, Owode, Iragbiji and Araromi.
