Former Lawmaker Awoleye Hails Peaceful, Impressive Voter Turnout in Ibadan North Bye-Election
A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abiodun Dada Awoleye, has expressed delight over what he described as the impressive turnout of voters in his ward during the ongoing bye-election in Ibadan North Federal Constituency.
Our correspondent reports that Awoleye represented the federal constituency between 2011 and 2019.
The former lawmaker, who cast his ballot at Unit 24, Ward 04, commended voters in his polling unit and across the ward for coming out in large numbers to exercise their civic duty.
Awoleye, who is also the current Chairman of the Oyo State Primary Healthcare Board, described the exercise as a demonstration of the people’s commitment to democracy. He noted that the enthusiasm of voters was a positive signal for the future of elections in the state.
Speaking with journalists shortly after voting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain explained that the election had been generally smooth despite minor challenges experienced in a few polling units.
According to him, there were initial reports of malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in some units, but those issues were promptly resolved by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He stressed that apart from those hitches, the process remained largely peaceful and orderly, with no incident of ballot box snatching, intimidation, or electoral violence recorded in his ward.
“My observation is that the whole exercise is rancour-free. No reports of violence. This is my ward,” Awoleye stated.
He added that the large voter turnout in his ward was impressive, describing it as a sign that residents were eager to participate in determining their representation at the federal level.
“The turnout of voters is quite encouraging, and the atmosphere is peaceful. In all our units, the process is going on well,” he said.
The former lawmaker further urged voters across the constituency to remain patient and law-abiding throughout the exercise, while also commending security agencies and electoral officials for maintaining order.
He concluded that the peaceful conduct of the election so far was a reflection of democratic maturity among the people, stressing that such orderliness should be sustained in future electoral exercises.