TheCable

Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a civil society organisation (CSO), has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring inclusion of persons with disabilities (PWDs) during the Osun governorship election.

Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the winner of the election on Sunday.

Adeleke secured 403,371 votes to defeat his closest challenger, Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 375,027 votes.

Auwal Rafsanjani, TMG chairman, in a statement on Monday, commended INEC for “for complying with the provisions of the Electoral Act, especially with regards to improving inclusivity by providing assistance technology for persons with disabilities, and for efficient election logistics arrangement which saw early deployment of officials and materials to the polling units”.

He also said there had been concerns ahead of the election, especially with regards to the recent happenings in relation to the 2023 elections.

“The 2022 Osun Governorship Election had generated much interests in the country, just like the recently concluded gubernatorial election in Ekiti,” the statement reads.

“The off-season elections generated high expectations among citizens, not just in Ekiti and Osun, but all over the country, as it was expected to reflect citizens expectations towards the General Election in 2023, especially with regards to the reforms instituted by the new Electoral Act, 2022 as amended.

“The pre-election environment in Osun State had been tense as political gladiators from the major political parties mobilised high-ranking party members to the state to canvass votes for their respective candidates, and as usual, with inflammatory statements coming out of the different rallies.

“Also, with the recently concluded presidential primaries and nomination of vice-presidential candidates, the general political landscape had become tensed, with the gubernatorial election in Osun expected to be a test of preparations in terms of the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the potency of the electoral act to ensure free, fair, credible and participatory elections in Nigeria.”

TMG also commended political parties, the media, security operatives and residents of the state for their efforts in ensuring a peaceful and non-violent election.