Osun Decides 2018: LIVE UPDATES from the governorship rerun election

The September 22 gubernatorial election in Osun state was declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a result of the slim margin between the votes polled between Senator Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Joseph Afuwape, the returning officer, said the margin between the candidate of the PDP and the candidate of the APC was not significant enough to declare a winner. The PDP candidate polled 254,698 votes while the APC flagbearer had 254,345, leaving a gap of 353 votes. INEC’s election guideline made pursuant to Section 153 of the Electoral Act stipulates a rerun if the margin of victory in an election is lower than the number of voters in units where elections are cancelled. Since the total number of cancelled votes (3,486) exceeds the difference between the two leading parties (353), Afuwape said it was impossible for him to declare any party as the winner. Consequently, INEC announced that a rerun election would be conducted today, Thursday, September 27, specifically at the polling units where votes were cancelled, to enable the people of Osun state finally decide who will succeed Governor Rauf Aregbesola. The supplementary contest is a straight battle between Adeleke and Oyetola. However, other parties will be allowed to participate. It will be taking place at seven polling units spanning through four local government areas, namely Ife North (one polling unit), Ife South (two polling unit), Osogbo (one polling unit) and Orolu (three polling unit). The total number of voters in the units where the elections were cancelled is 3,498. To read about how the September 22 election, check our live updates here. Breakdown of the areas where the rereun will be conducted Ife North - Ward 10, PU2 Ife South - Olode Ward 07, PU12, Adereti Village Ife South - Osi Ward 8 PU10, Aluti Erin Primary School, Albert village Orolu - Ward 08 PU001, Kajola village Orolu - Ward 08 PU004 Idi Iya village Orolu - Ward 09 PU 003 Gbogbo Primary School Adeleke Osogbo - Ataoja Ward 05 PU 017 Adewale Street As the people of Osun state, particularly the polling units affected, troop out to finally decide who become their next governor between Adeleke and Oyetola, NAIJ.com is fully on ground to give you bit by bit insightful live updates from the polling units and the collation centre. Don’t forget to refresh your browser always for fresh updates. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.50pm: Results of the exercise have started trickling in. Follow live updates of unconfirmed results of the rerun election here. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.46pm[Orolu LGA]: Dr Joe Oke Odumakin, one of the observers, briefing journalists about her assessment of the poll, said the process was peaceful in the two voting units she visited. She said though there were lots of allegations about voters harassment in Orolu LG she didn't witness anything of such when she got there. She said her team met about six elderly voters on their way and they complained of harassment but she told me them to be patient The reportedly followed her to Idi Iya polling unit to cast their votes. Odumakin said that as the time she got to Idi Iya polling unit, 106 out of the 167 registered voters in the unit had already voted. According to her, the situation was the same at Gbogbo in Orolu LG. Read more: https://www.naija.ng/1194766-osun-decides-2018-live-updates-governorship-rerun-election.html#1194766