The Africa Democratic Congress candidate in the ongoing  Osun poll, Najeem Salaam, on Saturday decried disruption by hoodlums at his polling unit in Ward 4, Unit 13, Ejigbo Local Government Area.

Mr Salaam spoke while reacting to the incident shortly after casting his vote at his residence on Saturday, describing the disruption as a serious threat to his safety.

He said the incident appeared to be a planned attack against him, expressing concern that such actions could undermine democracy and prevent citizens from freely exercising their constitutional rights.

“How could we differentiate this from military rule when people’s vote doesn’t count,” he said, expressing concern over the impact of disruptions on the electoral process.

Mr Salaam also criticised the response of security operatives at the polling station, saying they failed to intervene promptly and effectively when the incident occurred during the voting exercise.

“It is expected, they could be conniving together with a political party,” he said, urging authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and ensure adequate security.

Mr Salaam warned that when security agents failed to respond effectively to disturbances, citizens might become frustrated and resort to taking the law into their own hands.

He said such situations could worsen tensions and make crises increasingly common in communities, emphasising the need for security agencies to protect voters and maintain order.

“This is not election, it is a selection,” he said, expressing disappointment over the disruption and its implications for citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.

Mr Salaam appealed to the government and relevant authorities to protect democratic values, ensure peaceful elections and create an environment where citizens could freely choose their leaders.

He urged stakeholders to promote peace, respect voters’ rights and strengthen democratic institutions so future generations could continue to enjoy credible and participatory elections.

Violence occurred at Ward 4, Unit 13, in the Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun during the election.

This happened shortly after Mr Salaam voted, raising concerns among voters and election officials present.

The crisis, which had reportedly begun earlier, was allegedly triggered by claims that members of a party were involved in vote buying at the polling unit earlier.

It was alleged that N15,000 was given to voters and security agents were alerted but allegedly failed to respond promptly to complaints from concerned residents at the polling unit.

Earlier, some residents recovered money allegedly intended for vote-buying and shared the names of suspected recipients with the general public to expose the alleged scheme to the public for further scrutiny.

The suspected political thugs reportedly traced the agents involved in the alleged vote-buying and subsequently vandalised property at the polling location during the ensuing confrontation, causing panic among voters and residents.

Meanwhile, a former senator and APC leader, Mudashiru Hussein, commended security agents for their peaceful operation and effective coordination of electoral activities at the polling centre.

This was disclosed during an interview at the polling centre where he cast his vote during the ongoing election shortly after voting.

Mr Hussein noted that voter turnout in Ward 3, Unit 1, was massive and peaceful.

He also said no violence or abusive language was reported by other parties since his arrival.

He further said that persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly people were being treated with utmost care by election officials and security agents at the polling centre.

He prayed that his political party would win the election and expressed hope for a peaceful and credible electoral process that would reflect the wishes of voters across Osun State.

(NAN)