Osun election: ADC candidate alleges plot against him at polling unit

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo –

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in the Osun State election, Dr Najeem Salaam, has alleged that the disruption at his polling unit was a planned attempt to attack him.

Salaam, who spoke after being taken away from the scene by his security personnel, said the incident occurred shortly after he cast his vote at Unit 13, Ward 4, in Ejigbo Local Government Area.

“There was a total disruption of the electoral process. I was there. The plan was to attack me. That was an attempt to attack me personally. It was my strategic movement away from that area that made it impossible for them to attack me. Of course, my security personnel protected me and helped me get out of the area,” he alleged.

The ADC candidate said the disruption forced voters, including elderly men and women, to flee the polling unit for safety.

“A lot of people ran for their lives. Elderly women and men ran away to save their lives. So, how can one be happy with this?” he said.

Salaam also alleged that security personnel at the scene watched as the incident unfolded, suggesting that they might have been working with some political parties.

“I think it is expected because they may be conniving with certain political parties. They were just looking. That is why sometimes people take the law into their own hands and do things, and that is how we normally have crises in our society. Thank God I escaped the attempt,” he said.

He condemned the incident as a threat to democracy and urged stakeholders to ensure that voters could exercise their rights without intimidation or the use of force.