ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA,
ADO-EKITI
Preliminary results trickling in from some units and wards in the
Ekiti State governorship election showed that the All Progressives
Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are locked in a
tight race.
Eligible voters trooped out in large numbers to elect a new governor
that will rule the state from October 16, 2018 to October 15, 2022.
APC governorship candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his PDP counterpart,
Prof. Kolapo Olusola and incumbent Governor Ayo Fayose, won their
respective polling units.
It must be stressed that the results emanated from counting at units
levels as they were yet to be officially confirmed by the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Fayemi’s running mate, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, won in his Unit 14, Ward
8 in Ado-Ekiti with 177 votes where PDP polled 130.
Result from Olusola’s running mate, Mr. Deji Ogunsakin’s polling unit
was being awaited at the time of filing this report.
Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu in
his Unit 9, Ward 8 scored 171 votes leaving PDP with 127 votes.
Fayose, who voted at his unit at St David’s Anglican Primary School
Polling unit 001, polled 304 to defeat APC that polled 106.
Fayemi, in his Ward 11 Ogilolo Unit 009 in Isan Ekiti scored 186
leaving PDP with 2 votes.
Olusola coasted home with 452 votes at his Unit 7, Okeruku Ward 7
where APC managed to poll 105 votes.
Fayemi voted at about 10.45am in company of some of his aides and
party supporters after being on the queue for a period of ten minutes.
Speaking with reporters after voting, Fayemi said: “In my community, I
was accredited without any difficulty and I voted in a straightforward
manner. Don’t ask me how I voted, that was secret ballot.
“But the important thing is that I have also heard the report of card
reader problems. That may have been the case with my wife’s card
because my wife’s card has had some issues.
“But the officials have been courteous; they asked us to exercise some
patience and that they will fix her card. They could see her name on
the register so there is no issue of impersonation or illegal card
use.
“What’s important is, and I want to plead with you although, I have
heard report of skirmishes in some parts of the state.
“I have heard report of some arrests, I have heard report of problems
of card readers in some units. It is too early to make a definite
judgment about this process yet.
“I will plead with you to give me more time to assess the situation
before giving you a definite statement on how the process has panned
out.”
Fayose who spoke with reporters after casting his vote at exactly
1:20pm, at his unit alleged that policemen aided and abetted open
sharing of cash and ballot snatching.
The governor alleged that policemen were reported to be supervising
ballot snatching as well as provided cover for those engaged in
illegal sharing of money on the election day.
According to him, all attempts to personally report the alleged
incidences to police high authorities were rebuffed.
Fayose claimed that most of the observers that came to monitor the
poll in different parts of the state got wind of the attacks, but that
there was nothing they could do to stop the situation.
The governor declared that the candidate of PDP, Olusola would still
win the poll despite all odds.
He said information at his disposal revealed that INEC seemed to have
good intention about the election, but expressed regrets that
policemen thwarted such efforts.
Fayose said: “I want to state expressly that police have hijacked the
whole process, INEC might mean well but the process was tampered with
by the police.
“As I speak, thugs are having a field day snatching ballot boxes under
police watch, this is a national disgrace
“There were cases of not only ballot snatching, but ballot cleansing
and clearing, ever as the police and other officers cooperated by
looking the other way.
“In all the Local Governments, chieftains of my party are also being
arrested indiscriminately and bundled into detention this morning for
no just cause, and the list include my Chief of Staff, PDP Senators,
Reps among others.
“The situation was so bad that people distributing money to secure
votes were doing so while sitting side by side with policemen”, the
governor said..
The candidate of the PDP, Olusola, eventually voted after the card
reader failed to read his Permanent Voter Card twice.
Olusola was manually accredited for the election before voting at his
ward at Odo Iro unit in his Ikere Ekiti country home.
The staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
allowed him to vote manually. Olusola’s wife’s PVC could also not also
be verified by the card reader.
Commenting on the election process, the Deputy Governor, described the
process of election as credible as at the time of voting, urging the
security to maintain the tempo to protect the credulity of the poll.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Ekiti North Senatorial
District, Mr Ali Janga, gave the commendation after observing the
exercise under his domain.
Janga, is among the three CPs deployed in Ekiti by the Inspector
General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to monitor the election and work
with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Operations, Mr Habila
Joshak.
His areas of jurisdiction are Ido/Osi, Moba, Ilejemeje, Oye and Ikole
which make up the senatorial district.
Janga, who spoke with reporters in Ido Ekiti hailed the massive
turnout of the voters across the state and the transparency of INEC in
the discharge of its duties.
“I have visited three local governments and there were no electoral
manipulation anywhere. People raised false alarm by sending distress
calls to us, but many of them were found to be false when we got
there.
“Election materials were distributed as early as possible and they
were guarded by security. And the turnout was very impressive.
“With what I have seen, I know that Ekiti people are determined and
desirous of choosing a new leader”, he said.
In today’s election, people were already trooping out as early as 6.30
am to the polling units awaiting election materials.
