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There was confusion in Ikire, Irewole Local Government area of Osun on Saturday when ballot papers meant for Ife East and Ife North Local Governments were brought to nine polling units in the town.
The development slowed down the election process as ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not proceed with the voting exercise.
Reacting to the development, the Deputy Governor of Osun State, who is an indigene of Ikire, Mr. Benedict Olugboyega Alabi said the mix up in the ballot papers cannot affect the electoral process.
“The only challenge we have is that the agents of the opposition parties are insisting that voting must stop. We are trying to convince them, since INEC has directed electoral officers to cancel Ife North and East on the ballot and leave Irewole Local Government there to continue the process,” he said.
Also, the immediate past Commissioner for Finance in the State, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, while reacting to the mix up, said “the only issue we have is that some ballot papers of Ife North and East Local Governments were brought to about nine polling units in Ikire.
“We have already notified INEC electoral officers about it. The INEC headquarters in Osogbo have directed electoral officers to cross the name of Ife North and East on the ballot papers. Irewole local government is also on the ballot papers”.