Osun Election: Party Agents Demand Ballot Recount Before Voting Resumes in Ejigbo

Voting was delayed at a polling location in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State on Saturday after party agents demanded that election officials recount the ballot papers supplied for the governorship election.

The dispute centred on the quantity of ballot papers available at the polling location, with agents alleging that the number supplied was lower than the quantity they were expecting.

According to reports from the area, the agents insisted that the materials be counted again before voting could proceed. One report said the agents expected 594 ballot papers and wanted the figure verified before allowing the process to continue.

The incident was captured in a video shared on social media, bringing attention to another logistical dispute during an election that has already recorded complaints over voting materials and the operation of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

The ballot-paper disagreement comes as voters across Osun State participate in the governorship election being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the state's 30 local government areas.

INEC had also begun distributing reprinted ballot papers and result sheets to agents of participating political parties ahead of the election.

The demand by the agents was centred on verification of the election materials rather than the counting of votes already cast. The distinction is important because the ballot-paper count takes place as part of the verification of materials before voting, while votes are counted separately after polling closes.

The development adds to a series of disruptions and complaints recorded during Saturday's election. In Ejigbo, voting was also disrupted at the polling unit of African Democratic Congress governorship candidate Najeem Salaam after a violent incident that sent voters and electoral officials away from the area.

Channels Television also reported complaints involving BVAS functionality, allegations of vote-buying and an outbreak of violence at a polling unit in Ejigbo.

As voting continued across the state, the ballot-paper dispute highlighted the importance of political parties and election officials agreeing on the quantity and distribution of materials before voters begin casting their ballots.

Talk Ya True will continue to follow developments from the Osun governorship election as voting and the subsequent counting process continue.