Defeated Peoples Democratic Party candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, did not turn up to exercise her civic obligation during the Presidential election on Saturday.



Even her father, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, almost missed the accreditation of voters as he arrived at a polling centre at ward 11 unit 14, African Church Grammar School in Abeokuta around 11. 31pm. Accreditation ended at 12noon at the centre.



Our correspondents, who was at the centre when voting started at 12.30 reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission officials deliberately delayed voting hoping that Obasanjo-Bello would come to vote.



Until voting ended, there was no information on why the senator, who heads the Senate Committee on Health, did not participate in the exercise.



But her father, who cast his vote at 12.35pm said that the low turn out of voter in Ogun State and some parts of the country was not unusual.



He argued that since the return of democracy in 1999, presidential elections were usually characterised by low turnout of voters.



Obasanjo, who was in company with his wife, Bola, expressed satisfaction at the election, describing it as a victory for Nigerians and Nigeria.



He said, “I believed that to all of us Nigerians, it is a sign of victory. We elected a president and we went about it peacefully and at the end a winner will emerge.



“From what I have seen so far and from the reports that I have received; this election is generally peaceful and orderly.



“To all of us, especially the party whose candidate wins, it is our victory and a victory for democracy. Every election in a way moves us towards consolidation of our democracy.



“My own election in 1999 put paid to ethnic politics in Nigeria and I hope this one too will put an end to whatever may be the monster that is trying to rear its ugly head in another area.

OdeYorubas a.k.a Yoruba