Osun Election: Former Speaker, Bello, Urges Losers To Accept Results In Good Faith

A former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adejare Bello, has commended the conduct of the ongoing governorship election, describing the voting process in his area as smooth and peaceful.

Bello, who spoke to newsmen during the exercise, said there had been no reports of chaos or other untoward incidents at the polling units he monitored.

“It’s going on very smoothly. We have not reported anything like chaos or anything untowards. So far, so good,” he said.

He expressed hope that the election would remain peaceful until the conclusion of voting.

“I hope and pray that the way it started, it ends that same way,” Bello added.

According to him, adequate arrangements had been made across his ward, particularly at polling units 3, 4 and 13, to safeguard the process and prevent disruptions.

He said the measures would help prevent incidents such as ballot box snatching, intimidation of voters and other forms of electoral malpractice.

Comparing the ongoing election with previous polls he had witnessed, Bello identified voter turnout as the most noticeable difference.

“The only noticeable thing, as far as I’m concerned, is the turnout of the voters,” he said.

He attributed the high turnout partly to the fact that the area is the hometown of the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke.

“So the turnout is very huge,” he said.

With the election expected to produce a winner and losers, Bello appealed to all candidates to demonstrate maturity and accept the outcome if the process remains transparent.

“Let the winner be magnanimous. And let the loser too be gallant and accept defeat,” he said.

Bello also cautioned candidates against unnecessarily prolonged legal battles after the election.

“Going to the tribunal, wasting people’s money, hiring SANs will not solve any problem,” he said.

He stressed that his appeal for acceptance of the result was dependent on the transparency and credibility of the electoral process.

“Whoever must have won must have won. So I appeal to them. But if the process is as transparent as we have here, I recommend to whoever loses to accept it in good faith,” Bello said.