TOO CLOSE TO CALL IN ONDO
As Akeredolu, Jegede, Oke Lead in Strongholds Massive Complaints Over Card Readers, Monetary Inducement Election Adjudged Peaceful With High Voter Turnout
Early results from yesterday’s hotly contested governorship election in Ondo State showed the candidates of the three major contending parties leading in their respective strongholds across the 18 local governments in the state, making the election too close to call.
Results trickling in from polling booths before going to press indicated that Mr Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was taking an early lead in his Owoeye country home with a wide margin, just as Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was also recording the highest votes in both Ondo East, Ondo West and Akure, the state capital. The story is not different for the candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Mr. Olusola Oke, who was also putting a strong performance in the riverine area where he hails from.
For example, in unit 20, ward 7 where Governor Olusegun Mimiko voted, the APC scored 23 votes, AD got 10 and PDP polled 88. Also, in unit 21, ward 7, the AD garnered 31 votes while the PDP and the APC scored 92 and 23 respectively.
The AD candidate, Oke, won his Ugbo Ward III, Ago Olori Alufa/Otumara Unit 005 with 316 votes to defeat the APC which polled a total of 17 votes and the PDP which scored zero.
In Unit 17 Igboroko (Ahmadiya grammar school) 2 ward 3 Owo Local Government, the APC candidate was leading with 262 votes, AD 1 and PDP 05. Akeredolu also scored the highest number of votes at Igboroko 1, Ward2, Unit 3 of the local government, where he got APC 217 votes ahead of Jegede who scored 29 and Oke with 16 votes.
However, at Alade Atosin ward in Idanre Ward of Idanre Local Government Ward 2 Unit 13, the PDP was in the lead with 189
votes, AD 67 and APC 68.
But at Okitipupa Local Government, registration area: 06-Ikoya/Oloto, Polling Unit 003 – Igborowo/Okerayo East, Customary Court Hall, Ikoya , the votes were almost split equally between the APC which got 73 and the AD with 75. The PDP trailed behind with 58.
In Igbo-Oja, Unit 3 in Ondo East Local Government, the PDP swept the majority of votes thus: PDP - 316, APC - 88, AD - 82, PDC – 01, as well as in Unit 3, Ward 7, Ondo West (Ansarudeen) where it garnered 135 votes against AD’s 36 and APC’s 57.
At Arakale/Adam’s House, Akure South LGA Unit 1 Ward 7, it was: PDP- 50, APC- 38 and AD- 24 while in ward 7, Unit 4, PDP had 35 against APC’s 30.
In ward 7, unit 22 of Akure South it was: AD -44, APC -68 and PDP- 66.
In Ala-Elefosan Ward Unit 001, Idanre, the PDP had 250, APC-112 and AD -134 votes, as well as 104, 65 and 24 for the PDP, APC and AD respectively in Upkarama Ward 1 of Ese-Odo Local Government Area.
In Ondo West Local Government Area: Ward 07, Unit 01 (St. Patrick Mega Primary School, Olorunsola Str. Yaba, Ondo), AD had 27, APC - 46 and PDP - 139.
The PDP also floored APC in the results from Ondo West. In Unit 3, Ward 7, Ondo West (Ansarudeen): PDP 135, AS 36, APC 57. In Unit 4, Ward 7, Ondo West (Ansarudeen): PDP 155, AD 40, APC 57.
In Ifedore Local Government Area, Unit 007, Ilara–Mokin, Ward 1, the PDP polled 135, APC -55 and AD – 30.
On the other hand, results from Abana ward 05, Isalu Jigbokin, Idanre LGA shows that AD had 108, APC -102 while PDP got 71.
Also, results of Polling Unit 002, Ward 10, Owena-Aponmulona, Idanre LGA put PDP at 76, APC - 92 and AD - 50.
The APC swept majority of votes in Igboroko, Owo Local Government. In Igboroko II, Ward 3, Unit 11, the APC had 113, PDP- 9 and AD- 3, as well as Unit 17 Igboroko (Ahmadiya grammar school) 2 ward 3 where APC ganared 262 votes against PDP’s 5 and AD’s 1.
In Akungba LGA Ward 10, polling unit 14, the APC had 192, PDP -115 and AD 76.
The final results of the election will, however, be called after completion of collation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But report said there was jubilation in the AD camp in the riverine Ilaje Council area of the state as poll results from the different polling units trickled in. Oke, who voted at the Unit 005, Ugbo Ward III, at his Ilowo hometown in the Ilaje Council area of the state, said the large turnout of his people to cast their votes was indicative of their resolve for real change.
Also in Ondo, Mimiko’s supporters trooped to the governor to congratulate him as results filtered into town that the PDP was coasting home to victory.
In an interview with journalists after casting his vote, Mimiko decried the hitches that were experienced with the card reader, which failed to recognise his thumbprint.
Mimiko also complained of alleged monetisation of the Ondo election, alleging that reports reaching him had indicated that some collation officers had also been assigned to change authentic results with fake ones inside INEC vehicles en route to the state central collation centres.
“From the reports I have been getting, this election has been peaceful, but the shameful aspect of it is the monetisation of the election as some people were giving money openly to induce voters, especially people from other parties, not the PDP. I appeal to the security agencies to check this very shameful act,” he said.
On his part, Akeredolu, who spoke at his Owo residence after casting his vote, said INEC ought to have test-run the card readers before the election day.
He said reports had indicated that some of the devices were malfunctioning.
The APC candidate, however, said his major concern was for the commission to ensure free, credible and fair election.
Also, at Idiogba unit, voters who turned out in large numbers complained that the card reader malfunctioned in the morning as it showed that voters were voting after election hour.
However, the INEC ad-hoc officials said they had promptly sought solution to the problem and got the situation redressed, following which the machine started working normally again.
The election was said to have witnessed a large turnout of voters across the 18 local government areas of the state.
As early as 7:10am, voters had converged in many polling units across the state to wait for officials of the INEC, who arrived in most designated areas before 7:30am.
The law restricting movement of vehicles in the state, which started on Friday midnight, was adhered to by citizens of the state.
There was the presence of security personnel: men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Army (NA) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), who were stationed at strategic places to ensure strict compliance to electoral procedure.
In the Central District, the state capital, Akure, also had the security operatives all across the metropolis and Akure South council; and other five local government areas, namely, Akure North, Idanre, Ifedore, Ondo West and Ondo East.
There was a huge turnout of voters in Akure South, Sacred Heart School, Gbagi Isikan, Ward 2; New Stadium, Araromi Akure Ward 13 and other wards in the metropolitis, as well as in Ondo town, Idanre, Akoko and other areas.
Some of the voters in Akure told Daily Trust on Sunday that they couldn’t find their names on the voters register even where they registered.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who arrived his Gbagi/Isikan, Ward 2, Unit 009 in the company of his wife, joined the queue to vote as early as 9am.
In Ifedeore council, Ilara-Mokin, Agun II, Ward 2, Unit 17, accreditation started at 8:00am promptly as stipulated by INEC, and the accredited voters proceeded immediately to cast their votes.
At Igbara-Oke axis, soldiers arrested 35 vehicles that were moving out of the state for violating the electoral law.
In Akoko South West in the North District, Oka/Ibaka, Ward I, Unit II, voting began immediately after accreditation; likewise in Owase/Ikese Ward 5, Unit 15 and 17.
Some voters who spoke with our reporters on Saturday in Ondo State commended the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for a hitch-free governorship election.
In Okitipupa, the voters said the card readers functioned seamlessly in the area, making the accreditation and voting process to be fast.
They also lauded the security agencies for their prompt action to stop criminality at polling centres.
Mr Wale Adekoya, a PDP chieftain in the area, told reporters that there was no challenge with the card readers.
“I have to commend the INEC for their early distribution of materials, the punctuality of their staff, as well as effective functioning of the card reader machines,” he said.
An Alliance for Democracy agent, Mr Rotimi Olasenoja, also commended security agents for their prompt action to make the election credible.
“We have enough security agents on ground, and they are doing their job,” he said
Mrs Adewunmi Oloko, an APC supporter, also said the election was fair and credible.