Ekiti Poll Hitch-Free, PDP Set for Sweeping Victory

The Assembly elections in Ekiti State was remarkably free of violence on Saturday, while early results showed yet another resounding victory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Many members of the outgoing Assembly, who are rooting for the impeachment of the state Governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, and are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC stayed away from their constituencies.
Of the 19 APC lawmakers, led by the embattled Speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin, 10 sought re-election. However, the results trickling in indicated that most of them will not return to the Assembly.
Omirin, who represents Gbonyin Constituency, was not at his Aisegba-Ekiti home to vote.
The APC lawmakers had not been seen in public since the impeachment move started a few days ago.
The election was characterised by low voter turn-out.
Governor Fayose, who voted at his Afao-Ekiti polling unit at about 3.02 pm, blamed the poor turnout on the fact that people did not attach much importance to the election unlike the presidential poll that held two weeks ago.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the reported cases of ballot box snatching in Ikole, Ilejemeje and Egbe-Ekiti.
He said: “Democracy should be moving forward in Nigeria. We do not need violence and other electoral crimes. It is God who crowns people to be what He wants them to be.”
Commenting on the exercise, immediate past governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who voted at his polling unit in Ogilolo Quarter, Isan-Ekiti, said a candidate of the party in Ikere-Ekiti and an agent was also attacked.
Fayemi said he reported the matters to the police, but the police said they were yet to get such reports.
Fayose’s deputy, Dr Olusola Kolapo, expressed confidence that the PDP would continue its winning streak in the state.
“We won in all the 16 local governments in the last two elections and we are not expecting anything less this time around,” he said.
A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, lauded the conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the security arrangements put in place.
“Across the state, the exercise is smooth from reports I have been getting. People in every community have made up their minds on who to vote for. I do not envisage any problem. Turnout was poor due to some factors and one of it is due to the fact that we are not holding governorship election here,” he said.
Some results in Ado-Ekiti in Ward 11 Unit 002, PDP 120, APC 20, Ward 8 Unit 4, PDP 67 APC 24, Unit 16 Ward 5 PDP 78, APC 46 LP 12. Ward 11 Unit 16B, PDP 114 APC 57, Ward 11 Unit 16, PDP 159, APC 56.