ACN wins Ogun council polls

Ogun -  Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) won 19 of the 20 chairmanship positions in Saturday's Local Government Elections held in the state, the electoral commission announced  in Abeokuta on Sunday.

The party also won 217 of the 236 councillorship seats in the election, Mrs Ruqayat Ogunfemi, the Chairman of OgunState Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), said.

Ogunfemi, who was the Returning Officer for the elections, declared that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won eight councillorship seats while Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) won one councillorship seat in Ijebu-East Local Government Area

She said PDP won four councillorship seats in Ipokia Local Government Area and won one seat each in Ikene, Odogbolu, Odeda and Ijebu-East local government areas.

Meanwhile, election results for Imeko-Afon Local Government were withheld following a suit over the conduct of the elections in the area, Ogunfemi explained.

She named the newly elected chairmen as TajudeenSalako (Ikenne), Abayomi Soyemi (Remo-North), Dada Razaq (Ijebu-Ode), Ogunde Razaq (ijebu-East) and Nurudeen Diyaolu (Obafemi-Owode).

Others are Olawale Shittu (Odogbolu), Taofik Olabode (Abeokuta-North), Lanre Edun (Abeokuta-South), Oluwafunmilayo Afuwape (Sagamu) and Ramon Jimoh (Ado Odo -Otta).

Also among the chairmen are Sulaimon Adebayo (Odeda),  Aderounmu Isiaka (Ipokia),  Olaide Osifeso (Ijebu-North), David Oyefowokan (Ijebu North-East),  Tajudeen Amoo (Yewa North), Safi Odebiyi (Yewa South),  Rufai Razaq (Ogun Waterside),  Oludele Soluade (Ewekoro) and Olumide Enilolobo (Ifo).

 Ogunfemi directed the winners to report at the commission's headquarters on Monday to collect their certificates of return.

Meanwhile, PDPand PPNhave rejected the results of the elections alleging unethical conduct during the polls.

Mr Ireti Oliyide, the Chairman, Ogun PDP, alleged that the elections were characterised  by irregularities, such as snatching of ballot boxes and omission of names on the voters' register.

In a statement, Mr Deji Kalejaiye, the director of organisation of PPN, accused 0GSIEC and security agencies involved in the elections of supporting the ruling party.

``We make bold to say that the results being announced by OGSIEC are not the true reflection of the votes cast by the electorate,’’ Kalejaiye said.

However, the Ogun Chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) adjudged the elections as free and fair.

Mr Owolabi Odebudo, State Chairman of CNPP, made the declaration at a press briefing in Abeokuta.

Odebudo described the contest as keen and the results fair, adding: ``we hereby express satisfaction over the conduct of the elections.’’

`He said the the nine political parties that participated in the elections under the platform of CNPP do acknowledge OGSIEC’’ as an unbiased umpire.

He said the commission has given a good account of itself by ensuring that all candidates from the opposing parties and their agents at the pooling centres were accorded fair treatment.’’