Politics
Osun Decides: INEC declares polls inconclusive as Atiku, Saraki, Dankwambo warn against subverting the will of Osun people

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the Osun governorship election held on Saturday inconclusive, just as big wigs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), including former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Senate president, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo have warned the electoral body and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against subverting the will of the state’s electorate as such would be a threat to the country’s democracy.
Osun governorship election was held Saturday and has turned out to be a tight race between the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ademola Adeleke and the APC flag bearer, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola. But with votes of all 30 local governments announced, the PDP is ahead with 353 votes, while the party is alleging that 1000 votes was deducted from its total in Ayedaade Local Government, and that the electoral umpire had allotted to the APC 16,254 votes in Olorunda Local Government instead of 14, 254 votes it scored
However, the decision of INEC to declare the election inconclusive was informed by the provision of the electoral law to the effect that if the margin of victory for the winning candidate is less than total number of cancelled votes, there should be rerun. The number of registered voters in the cancelled polling units is 3498, which is over 353.
The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Joseph Afuape who declared the poll inconclusive said:
“Unfortunately, as the Returning Officer, it is not possible to declare any party as the clear winner of this election at the first ballot,”
“The Independent National Electoral Commission will announce a date when another ballot will take place. I hereby declare the result inconclusive.”
Worried by the delay in announcing the results nonetheless, Atiku warned INEC through his Twitter handle @Atiku on Sunday that, anything short of announcing governorship election results according to the choice made by the people was “a threat to democracy and a call to anarchy.”
He wrote :“The people of Osun have made their choice. What is required of INEC is to express that decision without any subtraction or addition. Anything short of that is a threat to democracy and a call to anarchy.”
Weighing in earlier on Saturday, the senate president, Saraki told INEC that Nigerians were watching its handling of the Osun polls watching closely and that the outcome would be a test of democracy in the country.
“As we await the result from Osun state, let us remember that collation is just a simple addition of results. This election is a test of our democracy. @inecnigeria and security agencies are under test. All well meaning Nigerians are awake monitoring the results closely,” he wrote on Twitter
“Just spoke to some of our volunteers on ground in Osun State. I’m delighted to hear that even at 2:50am, Nigerians are vigilant and defending PDP’s comfortable lead.”
Similarly, Governor Dankwambo called on both INEC and APC to allow allow the will of Osun people prevail.
“I appeal to the Independent National Electoral Commission and the ruling All Progressives Congress to allow the will of the good people of Osun to prevail,” he wrote on his facebook page on Saturday.
“We are monitoring the situation and we call on our members in Osun to protect their mandate by staying vigilant.”