Ondo Governorship Election: Voter Apathy, Vote buying , ballot snatching characterize poll

…INEC expresses satisfaction over poll conduct

By Tunde Opalana

Candidates of 17 political parties were on the ballot as less than half of the over two million registered voters in Ondo State on Saturday participated in the state governorship election.

In spite of intensive awareness and enlightenment programmes on national, local and social media by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) there was a general low turn out of voters in.many of the 18 kill local government areas of the state.

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However, turn out was a bit impressive at the state capital, Akure and major towns and villages in the southern part of the state where candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the incumbent governor, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Agboola Ajayi and Barrister Olusola Ebiseni of the Labour Party (LP) hail from.

The electoral management body, INEC deployed staff and ad- hoc staff on assignment as early as possible in most of the polling units monitored but have to wait for voters some of whom started showing up almost an hour after the opening of polling centres at 8:30 am.

Some of the INEC officials were at their polling units as early as 6:30 am while others came between 7:00am and 8:00am.

Accreditation of voters at about 8:30am and voting immediately.

The Daily Times captured field report of peaceful conduct of voters who cooperated with INEC officials during accreditation, voting and vote counting stages at polling units.

Enforcement of the restrictions of movement in and around the state was largely observed with men of security agents and para- military organisation adequately positioned to provide security for the process.

But generally, turn out of voters was low. As at about 12pm turn out of voters was not encouraging as there was voters apathy in most of the polling units.

As st 12:40 pm at Ward 7 Polling Unit 45 Yaba, Ondo Town in Ondo West local government only three voters were accredited and voted out of the 37 registered voters.

At Irowo Unit 6, Ward 6, registration area in Idanre Local Government area 240 voters turned out to cast their votes out of about 900 registered voters .

Agboola Ajayi, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) voted at his polling unit 4, Idumado Quarter Kiribo Ese-Odo LGA, at 12:17 pm.

The Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC, Dr. Olayide Adelami, caster his vote at Igboroko 2, Ward 3 Unit 16 in Owo local government area at 10:28am.

However, there are a few shortcomings experienced during the voting period.

At polling unit 020, Ward; 07, Ondo West Ondo there was initial identification of BVAS machine malfunctioning and reported issue of mixup in with voters list.

At Lodasa/Iparuku/Lijokaakure Garage, Ogbonjuagbara, an 80 years Esther Akintaju and her son Charles Akintaju who has speech impairmentcoukd not vote as their faces were not recognized by the BVAS machine.

Also at St. Paul Anglican Primary School polling Unit 003,Bolorunduro, Wasinmi, Ondo East Local Government Area, Mrs Ademeko Busayo a disability observer said that INEC has made provision magnifying Glass, braille paper , Poster for the deaf, However she expressed need for infrastructural access for the PWD to enable them cast their votes

Security breach was recorded at polling unit 011, Ward 006, Idanre, at Ojiamba Ondo Central it was reported that about 20 political thugs on 6 motorcycles invaded the polling unit with guns.
They pointed guns at the presiding officer, and collected the remaining ballot papers.

At the close of voting at about 2:30 pm, sorting and counting of votes took place with results confirmed by agents of political parties.

Further collation continued at local government collaton centres while the state collation is expected to start early Sunday.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rose to the occasion of the challenges as the Commission expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the election.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs Oluwatoyin Babalola who gave the Commission a pass mark,
said BVAS deployed for the exercise performed with little challenge.

According to her, INEC officials resumed promptly in all polling units and election commenced early in most of the area visited .