Ondo Poll: High turnout of voters, Akeredolu optimistic of victory, Ajayi urges security agencies to remain neutral, voters hail peaceful atmosphere

There was a high turnout of voters in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State on Saturday for the governorship election.

Many polling units visited by correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recorded a high turnout of voters who lined up in orderly queues to perform their civic duty.

In the Ikare township, shops were locked, while security agencies were at various places, including the polling centres, just as military personnel manned some major roads leading to Akure, the state capital, inspecting occupants of vehicles.

Police operatives and those of the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Commission mounted some road blocks in parts of the metropolis.

Mr Ademola Iyiola, a Presiding Officer at Unit 002, Orun Ward 1, told NAN that accreditation and voting began at the polling unit at 8.30 a.m., with a fairly large turnout of voters.

“We first checked their body temperature levels and sanitised their hands, before checking their cards with the card reader, after which they are accredited and voting is conducted simultaneously,’’ he said.

A community leader in Ikare, Mr Jimoh Bawa, told NAN that the prompt and orderly conduct of voters was an indication that the election would be peaceful.

“As you can see, our people are coming out to exercise their franchise, despite the early morning shower. The people are willingly coming out early to vote and I believe that at end of the day, their votes will certainly count,’’ Bawa said.

Ondo State has a population of 3.5 million, with 1.47 million registered voters expected to vote in 3,009 polling units in the 18 local government areas of the state.

The governorship election is being contested by 17 candidates.

Heavy rainfall disrupts voting process, destroys polling booths

Heavy rainfall has disrupted the ongoing election process in Ijebu area of Owo Local Government of Ondo State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

NAN reports that the rain destroyed some election materials with the voting booths in some polling thoroughly soaked, while staff of INEC took refuge and struggled to secure the materials.

The voters also scampered to various directions to take shelter from the rain.

NAN reports that voting later commenced with security personnel keeping vigil at all polling units around the area.

At polling unit 002 in Ward 5, Ijebu-Owo area, NAN observed that voters wore their face masks, while INEC staff also made hand sanitizers and soap available for use.

Speaking with newsmen, Opeyemi Amadu, Presiding Officer, Ijebu 2 Unit 006 Ward 5, said that accreditation and voting would go on simultaneously.

She explained that the use of facemasks was compulsory while any voter showing symptoms of COVID-19, like incessant coughing, would be politely asked to leave the queue.

Opeyemi, who also said that branded face masks were prohibited, declared the voting open by 8:35 a.m,

NAN reports that voters were checked with a thermometer and given hand sanitizers while social distancing was observed.

The rain had stopped around 8:12 a.m while the first vote at that polling was cast by 8:51 a.m.

Supervising REC commends voters for peaceful conduct

Dr Emeka Ononamadu, Resident Electoral Officer (REC), who is supervising Owo, Ose and Akoko South West of Ondo State, has commended voters in the state for their peaceful conduct in the Governorship election.

Speaking with newsmen at Ijebu II Unit 006 Ward 5, Onoamadu said:”we commend the splendid conduct of the electorate as well as security agencies,”.

Ononamadu said that the turn-out of voters was also impressive, describing it as a background for a successful election.

“We have not recorded any negative reports so far. All other things are going on so well. We hope that it continues into the final moments,” he said.

The REC also described the early rain as “a shower of blessing which means that things are going to work well for Nigerians”.

Also speaking, Mr Deji Adeyanju, an election observer, commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of the electorate.

“The conduct of the electorate had been wonderful and peaceful, expressed the hope that if this tempo is maintained, then we can say there won’t be much problem at the end of the day”.

Adeyanju also commended the peaceful and early deployment of personnel by INEC, security agencies, and other critical stakeholders.

“Electorate are eager to vote and they are in line, despite the rain. Pls let us maintain this same tempo for the day because everything has been orderly and peaceful so far,” he said

Security beefed up in Akure North

Security was beefed up at polling units visited at Iju in Iju/Itaogbolu Local Government Area of Ondo State for the state gubernatorial poll as prospective voters thronged their units to check their names on the INEC register.

Accreditation and voting were held simultaneously beginning at 8:30 am.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was a heavy presence of security agents as men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as the Nigerian Army were seen patrolling in order to ensure adherence to proper electoral conduct.

There was also a strict compliance to vehicular movement restrictions as directed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) especially at town borders.

Isaac Ajayi, avoter, in Ward 8 in Polling Unit 4, who had seen his name on the register, said he was happy that he would exercise his civic right in the exercise.

Similarly, Samuel Ayodele in Ward 4, Polling Unit 5 stated that seeing his name had given him another opportunity to decide who would govern the state.

Another prospective voter, Mrs Folashade Olatunji, of Ward 8, Polling Unit 2, explained she was eager to wait to cast her vote.

Mr Babatunde Gabriel, Ward 8, Polling Unit 7, said that the arrangement of the exercise so far was orderly and timely.

Paulina Polo, the Presiding Officer of Ward 8, Polling Unit 2, said that all was set for the exercise , saying that she was waiting for the official time to commence voting.

Akeredolu optimistic of victory

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has expressed optimism that he will win the Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

Akeredolu, who spoke with newsmen on Saturday shortly after voting at Ijebu 2 Unit 006 Ward 5, Ijebu-Owo in Owo Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, said his confidence was in God

“I am confident about winning this election. I have always said my confidence is about God, and God, in his infinite mercies, will give me victory.

“I don’t know what will happen. All I know is that when my victory is announced, everybody will be joyous, there will be clapping and singing,” he said.

The governor, who described the voting at his unit as peaceful, urged voters to protect their votes.

“Cast your votes, move out of the place but don’t move too far, and ensure that you protect your votes so that your votes can be counted,” Akeredolu said.

Voters hail smooth, peaceful atmosphere

Ondo voters on Saturday commended both the early start of voting and peaceful atmosphere as voting got underway in the state’s governorship election.

Such scenario was seen at polling units in Iju, Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Speaking to NAN after casting his vote at Ward 3, Unit 1, Oba Amos Farukanmi, the Okiti of Iju, commended the arrangement and orderliness put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) for the poll.

Oba Farukanmi, who said that the exercise was organised better than the previous elections, called on his subjects with permanent voter cards ( PVCNANs) to come out en masse and cast their votes for the betterment of the state.

NAN reports that voting started in the polling station at 8:30am.

Also, Mrs Dorcas Faloye, a septugenarian, explained that she had cast her vote for positive change so that the aged would not suffer.

“It is for good of Ondo State so that there will be peace and food supply in order to care for the aged,” she said.

The Presiding Officer in the unit, Busayo Adu, said that the card reader was working perfectly well but decried non-compliance to COVID-19 protocols, especially spacing guideline, by the electorate.

“The people are difficult to control. We have been forcing them to use hand sanitiser and nose cover, but to space them has been a big challenge,” she said.

Similarly, Miss Oluwafunke Akinsola, the Presiding Officer at Polling Unit 7, Ward 8, stated that the card reader was functioning well.

Akinsola noted that non-compliance to COVID-19 spacing guideline was due to the sudden rainfall which seemed to have caused disorderliness.

After casting her vote in the unit, an octogenarian, Mrs Beatrice Bamuwagun, applauded the organisation, saying that she had exercised her civic right for peace.

She ask the authorities not to allow hoodlums to hijack the system.

At Ward 8, Polling Unit 5, Mr Monday Njoku, the Presiding Officer, noted the intermittent authentication failure of the card reader.

Njoku added that the rain had not allowed expected compliance of the COVID-19 spacing guideline.

According to him, voters in the unit are not ready to comply with use of sanitiser and directives even from the security agents.

There was a noticeable presence of men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Nigerian Army, who were seen patrolling in order to ensure adherence to proper electoral conduct.

There was also strict compliance to vehicular movement restrictions as directed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, especially at town borders.

But there was no total compliance to COVID-19 guidelines as prescribed in INEC’s protocols as voters on queue were muddled up.

Ajayi urges security agencies to remain neutral

Mr Agboola Ajayi, the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate in the ongoing Ondo State governorship election, has appealed to security agencies to be neutral throughout the electoral process.

“I hereby call on the Inspector-General of Police to direct his men to do justice. They should allow people to cast their vote freely because the people are ready to vote freely,” he said.

He said that the turnout was encouraging, urging security personnel to strive to protect voters seeking to perform their civic responsibility.

Ajayi, who voted at Apoi ward II, unit 004, in Kiribo, Ese Odo Local Government Area, urged INEC to strive to replicate in Ondo, the quality electoral process they delivered in the Edo governorship poll on Sept. 19.

He urged security agents to live up to expectation and continue to be neutral so that every vote would count.