The Nation Newspaper

Category: Ekiti 2018

  • Fayemi votes in Ekiti governorship poll

    People’s wish will prevail – APC candidate

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has voted in his ward at Ogilolo ward 11, unit 009, Isan Ekiti, Oye local government area of the state.

    Accompanied by his wife, Bisi, the APC candidate who arrived the voting unit at 9:23 a.m. went straight to join the long queue.

    He voted at 10:45 a.m. amid cheers from his supporters.

    Speaking with journalists after voting, Fayemi described the process as credible and peaceful, saying the wish of the people will prevail.

    The former minister of solid minerals said: “Nigerians decided to choose democracy over dictatorship and that is why all of us must guard this democracy jealously. With the news we have been gathering around, the process has been okay for now.  So, I have faith in this election and I know the people of Ekiti will judge me based on what I did when I presided over this state and what the present government is doing. They can see that the difference is clear.”

     

  • Ekiti Election: INEC staff waiting at Fayose’s ward

    As the Ekiti guber election gets underway, INEC staff are waiting at ward 001, St. David’s Primary School, Maternity Area, Afao for Governor Ayo Fayose who is expected to cast his vote.

  • Observers commend Ekiti election

    Local observers monitoring the Ekiti election have expressed satisfaction in the way the election is going on. They said there was no cause to worry.

    They said INEC efforts so far were impressive.

    According to Mr. Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji there was a minor hitch in Are, the town before Afao, where some voters tried to attack some security personnel, who accused them of sharing money to voters.

    Read Also:http://staging.thenationonlineng.net/ekiti-election-igp-deploys-30000-personnel-250-patrol-vehicles-others/

    He said his prompt intervention saved the situation.

    Meanwhile security personnel have been ordering those who have voted to leave the venue immediately.

    Governor Ayo Fayose is still being expected at his ward 001, St. Davies Primary School, Afao.

  • Ekiti 2018: Voting underway as EU commends process

    Voting is already in process in most of the towns where the electorates are voting to decide their new governor.

    As early as 6.00 am, the voters were already at the polling units awaiting election materials.

    In places monitored in Ado, Ifaki, Ayegbaju and Oye, Iworoko, voting has started in those places.

    Security arrangements were also effective in communities visited as the policemen were civil in handing the situation.

    At Ayegbaju Ward 4, unit 002,  the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karlsen , hailed the peaceful manner with which the
    election commenced.

    Karlsen said : “As at 9.17 am, the election has been peaceful . I have been to five polling units and the process has been credible enough.

    “This election is going to be a litmus test to 2019 elections.

    “This election is a precursor to the 2019 elections and its success is very crucial to us.

    “The EU have been supporting INEC win voter education, how to encourage people with disabilities among others.

    “We have seen large turnout of people and the enthusiasm for people to elect a governor that can represent them well.

    “I believe this election will be credible if it ends like this.”

  • EU Ambassador observe Ekiti Elections

  • UPDATED: Eleka votes after manual accreditation

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ekiti governorship election, Prof. Olusola Eleka, has eventually voted after the card reader to read his PVC twice.

    He voted at 11.10am after he was manually accredited.

    There was no assurance that another card reader will be brought by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    No use of incidence form has been filled to that effect.

    His wife’s PVC could also not be verified by the card reader.

    It is only the PDP candidate’s PVC that was not read by the card reader in his unit.

    Everyone else has been verified so far and voting is ongoing

    Meanwhile, a large turnout of voters still in a long queue in Eleka’s unit.

    There was a long pause as electoral officers tried unsuccessfully to verify him.

    Voting resumed after he stepped out of the ward.

  • Large turnout of voters

    There was large voter turnout in many parts of Ekiti Sťate  on Saturday.

    Residents are voting to elect a new governor who will hold their mandate for four years.

    Eligible voters had thronged their polling units in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital as early as 6.00 am.

    There was early arrival of electoral officials and security men in many of the polling stations.

    Many communities in Ekiti North senatorial district witnessed impressive voter turnout.

    The communities include Ifaki, Ayegbaju, Oye, Imojo, Itaji, Ayede, Oloje, Ilafon and Isan.

    No report of violence has been heard so far.

    More reports coming later.

  • Security cordon in Ekiti as governorship poll commences

    A security cordon has been thrown on Ekiti as the simultaneous  accreditation and voting process is  set to commence in Saturday’s  governorship election.

    Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) spread across the three senatorial districts report that armed policemen and personnel of sister security agencies such as the NSCDC, NDLEA and the FRSC  were sighted at strategic locations.

    In  Ikere-Ekiti, home town of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidate, Prof. Olusola Kolapo,  there was heavy security presence, with personnel of the police and NSCDC keeping vigil on the fringes of polling units.

    At the Ofamofuru  Polling Unit 007, Ward  02, of the PDP candidate, no fewer than 10 mobile police officers were sighted keeping vigil.

    In Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area, Ekiti North Senatorial District,  where the All Progressives Congress(APC) candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi, hails from, there was also heavy security presence.

    At the Polling Unit 009 Ward 11 of the APC flagbearer , no fewer than five policemen were seen maintaining law and order as at 7.30 a.m.

    There was also tight security at  the Unit 2  Ward 7, Federal Housing Estate Polling Unit, in Ado-Ekiti Central Senatorial District, with five policemen sighted.

    NAN reports that the  police had  deployed 30,000 operatives, two helicopters and 250 patrol vehicles, including  Armoured Personnel Carriers, for the  election.

    The security operation for the poll would be supervised by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, Joshiak Habila, who would be assisted by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, four Commissioners of Police, eight Deputy Commissioners of Police and 18 Assistant Commissioners of Police.

    Each Senatorial district would be manned by a Commissioner of Police while no fewer than four policemen and two others from other security agencies will be on duty at each polling unit throughout the state.

    NAN further reports that  Commissioners of Police and their personnel in states close to Ekiti  such as Ondo, Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Ogun, Edo and Oyo  had  been directed  to be on the red alert with their personnel.

    The Police Mobile Force Unit, Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Special Protection Unit, the Anti-Bomb Squad, the Armament Unit,  Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department and the sniffer dogs section would also participate in the joint security effort.

    The police  had said  that  a threat assessment had been carried out in the state and all identified flashpoints and trouble-prone areas had been addressed.

    Restriction on  vehicular movement in and out of Ekiti State  also commenced  from  midnight of Friday and would be in place till  the end of the election while  travellers and other road users were advised to make use of alternative routes.

    NAN reports  that those on essential duties were, however, being granted passage.

    NAN further reports that  other security and safety agencies, including the military and FRSC,  who are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in the state,  would complement the  police during the election.

    Already, the NSCDC  had deployed   19,997 personnel    for the exercise and had  also ordered the deployment of mobile surveillance vehicles and sniffer dogs.(NAN)

  • Accreditation, voting begin in Eleka’s unit

    Accreditation and voting have commenced simultaneously at Unit 007, Ofamofuru Hall, Ward 2, Okekuru in Ikere, where Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Prof. Kolapo Olusola-Eleka will vote.

    There are 1,103 registered voters in the unit.

    Electoral officers were already at the unit by 7:00 a.m. and were seen setting up the hall.

    Voters were seen searching for their names on the register posted on the wall.

    The Presiding Officer, Layeni Segun, urged the voters to be orderly.

    He said voting would end by 2:00 p.m., adding that the aged and nursing mothers should be allowed to vote first.

    Prof. Olusola is expected to arrive any moment from now.

  • Accreditation, voting begin in Eleka’s unit

    Accreditation and voting have begun simultaneously at Unit 007, Ofamofuru Hall, Ward 2, Okekuru in Ikere, where Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Prof Kolapo Olusola-Eleka will vote.
    There are 1,103 registered voters in the unit.
    Electoral officers were already at the unit by 7am and were seen setting up the hall.
    Voters were seen searching for their names on the register posted on the wall.
    The Presiding Officer, Layeni Segun, urged the voters to be orderly.
    He said voting would end by 2pm, and that the aged and nursing mothers should be allowed to vote first.
    Prof Olusola is expected to arrive any moment.