Category: Ekiti Decides 2022

Security operatives have snatched huge money meant to buy votes at polling Unit nine Ward 10, Ikere local government area.

The action of the security operatives disrupted voting at the unit for about 39 minutes.

Many voters who had hoped to collect money were said to have been disappointed with the action of the security agents.

Some political party agents present at the polling unit said officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were on routine patrol when they stormed the polling unit.

The party agents, did not, however state which political party owns the money that was snatched.

They said the NSCDC officials took a shortcut within the community and spend off.

When asked if they could identify the officers, one party agent said: “Even if I see the person, do you expect me to say this is the person? I know they will not admit that they collected money from this place. They will not even take it to their office.”

Ekiti Speaker Funminiyi Afuye, who was seen at the polling unit, said the money supposedly snatched does not belong to the All Progressives Congress.

Afuye said he had voted at his polling unit and had to monitor the election around his vicinity.

His words, “I have voted in my unit and I decided to just go about. But there is no violent anywhere. The people have been conducting themselves well.

“I wasn’t here when money was snatched. I am not aware of any money snatched. If they are snatching money, they are not snatching from my party.

“There is no violence that has been reported to me.”

Explaining why was he present at the polling unit other than where he voted, Afuye said “By virtue of my position as the Chief Lawmaker in the State and I do not interfere with the process, I can observe election.

“Do you want me to go about without my security agents? Are they harassing people? They are on their duty. The only time I went towards the polling units was when I wanted to confirm the number of machines there.”

Spokesman for the Ekiti NSCDC, Afolabi Tolulope, said he was not aware of such incident.

He said he was not yet at the office to know if any NSCDC officials on patrol made report about money at voting centres.

Out of the 15 persons that registered as voters in Unit 12, Ward 4, Ikere local government area, only seven persons came out for accreditation and voted.

When our reporter visited the area, ad hoc staff of INEC were sitting while no voter was seen around.

There were party agents sitting under a tree and five policemen.

The INEC officials said they were still waiting for voters to turn out.

They said 15 persons were registered as voters and seven came out to vote.

“This is a new polling unit. That is why we have this low turn out.”

The lawmaker representing Ekiti Central Constituency Olusola Fatoba has expressed confidence the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidateBiodun Oyebanji will win.

“APC members will sing victory songs in the morning,” he told reporters after casting his vote.

Fatoba, who represents Ado-Ekiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency in the House of Representatives, voted at Unit 016, Ward 8, Alafia Eruguru, Ado-Ekiti at about 11.30am.

He said: “The process has been very peaceful.

“There has been no issue or violence in Ado-Ekiti.

“We are confident that our party will emerge victorious and that APC members will sing victory songs across the state in the morning.”

There are 530 registered voters in the unit.

Voting is ongoing and there is no queue.

Ekiti State Deputy Governor Adebisi Egbeyemi has described the process as “very peaceful”.

He spoke with reporters after casting his vote at Unit 014, L. A. Primary School, Akomolede, Ado Ekiti.

He voted at exactly 10.50am.

“So far, so good. It has been very peaceful. There have been no problems.

“As far as this area is concerned, it has been very peaceful.

“I’ve not received any complaints or negative reports in Ado,” Egbeyemi said.

He would not be drawn on his party’s chances in the election.

The Deputy Governor declined comments when asked if he was confident that his party would win.

Voters at Unit four, Ward two, Ikere local government area are protesting delay in commencement of voting due to absence of stamp.

Many of the voters have been accredited, including elders and could not vote because the ballot papers have not been stamped.

Prof. Aye Matthew, one of the voters, said it was absurd to prepare for election without provision for stamp. “there is a lot of delay here. Ordinary stamp is delaying us from starting voting.

” We were waiting for the stamp and we will wait until the stamp comes. We have been here since 8:30am.

“The BVAS is not functioning well. It is not capturing everybody.”

But INEC officials at the polling unit said they have requested for stamp.

He said the stamp would soon arrive which was why they have continued with accreditation.

On the issue of BVAS, he explained that the hall being use was not bright enough and had to take the voters outside for capturing.

Felicia Fayomi, 102, has expressed hope over the outcome of today’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

The old woman was full of joy after voting Ward 4, Polling Unit 10, where SDP candidate, Segun Oni’s house in Ifaki-Ekiti, said she came out to vote because she wants peace in Ekiti. She is optimistic that the candidate she voted for would take the state to a higher level economically and unite the people for the progress of the state.

Meanwhile, prospective voters at the area are becoming apprehensive about the slow pace of the voting process. There is a long queue of people waiting to exercise their franchise, but the electronic voters verification process is slow.

As a result, people are complaining, wondering when it would get to their turn.