Many residents of Ibadan defied the restriction of movement ordered by the Oyo State government during the local government election on Saturday.
Vehicular movements were still observed around Ring Road, Adeoyo, Oluyole, Dugbe, Challenge, Mokola, Ojo areas of Ibadan as at 7:50a.m. in spite of the 6:00a.m – 3p.m. restriction order.
We monitored the situation and discovered that commercial vehicles were freely seen conveying passengers to different destinations even as security operatives were absent on the roads.
Some respondents, however, said that the early morning rainfall in Ibadan may have contributed to the indifference by residents, which also affected the early distribution of electoral materials to polling centres.
Also, the distribution of electoral materials were delayed in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government of Oyo State, as the distribution started at about 8:25a.m.
Mr Sunday Adeoye, the Electoral Officer for Iseyin Local Government, attributed the delay to the early rainfall in the area .
At about 8:15a.m. there was no sign of electoral officers or voting materials at Ward 03, Units 12 and 13 at Iseyin District Grammar School, although a few voters were seen checking their names on the voting list.
Meanwhile, at the Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) at Oluyole in Ibadan South-West Local Government, electoral officers were seen at 8.25 a.m. arranging for materials to be delivered at polling centres.
One of the supervisors said that the delay was due to the rainfall and other logistics.
“We have been here since yesterday night, but the vehicles to convey electoral materials arrived late this morning due to the rain.
“Some officers have already left, anyway, but many are still around waiting for other logistics to be arranged,” he said.
Meanwhile, as at 8:53a.m at OYSIEC office, Agodi, Ibadan North LGA, officials were observed distributing non-sensitive materials.
At Ibadan North West, Onireke, the dispatch of materials started as early as 7:00a.m. with officials distributing tags to security operatives.
