The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State has alleged that about 68,399 ballot papers to be used for Saturday’s Osun West senatorial bye-election are missing.

The chairman of the party, Soji Adagunodo, who made the allegation on Friday in Osogbo, said discrepancies in the number of ballot papers delivered to at least four local governments were discovered on Thursday.

Mr. Adagunodo noted that the discrepancies were noticed in ballot papers meant for several wards in Ayedaade, Ede North, Egbedore and Isokan Local Governments.

He claimed that the serial numbering on the boxes containing the ballot papers did not tally with those on the records provided by INEC.

“INEC should immediately do a full disclosure on the reasons for the discrepancies in order to maintain the sanctity of the electoral process and retain the confidence of voters in the electoral umpire,” Mr. Adagunodo said.

He also urged INEC, to as a matter of duty, explain the whereabouts of the ballot papers and prove ‘beyond doubt’ that they had not been tampered with by any unauthorized persons.

According to him, all his party’s agents in the 10 local governments have been put on high alert.

Equally, Mr. Adagunodo called on security agents and the general public to report any ‘suspicious movements of certain items in ambulances, refuse disposal vans and some state government vehicles between Friday morning and Saturday evening.’

Efforts to reach INEC’s spokeswoman, Adenike Tadese, did not yield result as she failed to pick her calls when PREMIUM TIMES called.

The Saturday bye-election is expected to be a two-horse race between the PDP and the ruling APC in Osun.