9:01pm: Accusations, counter-accusations hallmark Ekiti governorship poll
Accusations and counter-accusations were the hallmark of the governorship election in Ekiti State on Saturday.
This was largely between the ruling party in the state, the All Progressives Congress, and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party.
The APC fired the first salvo when it called the attention of Nigerians and the international community to the alleged massive clampdown on the party’s leaders as well as journalists during Saturday’s ongoing governorship election in Ekiti State.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said 23 leaders of the APC were arrested at Egbe-Ekiti and taken to Ikere-Ekiti, two leaders were arrested from Ilawe, while 11 others were picked up from Ado-Ekiti.
It said those arrested at Ado Ward A units 1, 6, 8 and 11 included Charles Fashuba, Tolu Ajayi, Elesun, Olu Hero, Gboyega Fabuero, all of whom were pointed out to security agents by one Femi Ogunleye, a member of the PDP.
The APC said those arrested, who are the party’s leaders at their ward and local governments, were apparently being picked up to prevent them from casting their own votes, monitoring the election and subsequently being present at the collation centres.
The statement said: “Ekiti has witnessed a massive turnout of voters despite the massive deployment of troops and policemen, ostensibly to provide security for the election but in reality to intimidate and harass voters to stay away from the polling units.
“Now that the strategy of the PDP-led federal government has failed despite their over-militarization of the state, they have unleashed security agents on the leaders of the APC to prevent them from monitoring the collation of results.”
The party said the same security agents have also descended on journalists who were duly accredited to cover the election, with at least five of them forcefully taken to the boundary of Ekiti and Kwara States by a detachment of policemen led by Mopol Commander, G.B. Seleke
It listed the affected journalists, who were arrested at Ifaki Ekiti by over 50 mobile policemen, as Jadesola Ajibola of Inspiration FM; Toyin Yusuf, Oyetunji Ojo, Akin Ogunsola, and Aremu Awolola, all of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation.
The APC also said security men, who said they were acting on ”orders from above”, locked out voters and election officials at the Ekiti State Government College, Ado Ekiti (wards 13, unit 18).
The party listed some of the other infractions as including the following:
– The names of APC members are clearly missing on the list brought by INEC officials to Wards 3 and 4 Gbonyin LGA
– Harassment of the fiancee and aged father of the campaign manager of Fayemi, Hon. Bimbola Daramola, by gun-wielding security agents.
– Plan to burn ballot boxes if APC should win ward 2 Ifaki unit 7, LGA Ido-Osi
– Fake soldiers purportedly from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, acting under the command of PDP chieftains, are harassing and intimidating voters in Ekiti State.
It called on local and international observers to pay urgent attention to the infractions and ensure they are rectified in the interest of a free and fair election in Ekiti State.
Ekiti 2014: Losing APC has resorted to thuggery, harassment of voters
The PDP levelled allegations of a grand plan by the APC to rig the governorship election in Ekiti State.
According to a press statement by the state Publicity Secretary of the party, Pastor A. Oluwawole, in most places in Ekiti State where the APC leaders went, they were welcomed with protests by the voters that they did not want the APC again.
As a result, the statement said the APC has resorted to harassing and beating of voters with their thugs, even in the presence of the police.
For instance in Ado Ekiti, APC members were going round intimidating voters and telling them to swear to oaths before they give them money and indomie.
In Igbimo-Ekiti, the DG of the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti, Mojeed Jamiu, was allegedly going around with money and thugs, telling voters to vote their candidate.
Some voters who refused to do his biding were beaten mercilessly, the PDP alleged.
At Ifaki, former Governor Segun Oni, the PDP said, went about with security operatives (police) harassing voters.
Oni was said to be carrying money all over.
He violated the electoral law by moving about, the PDP said.
The statement said further: “At Ikogosi and Erijiyan in Ekiti West, the home state of APC state chairman, Jide Awe, where there was a protest vote going on against the APC, voting is being disrupted by the APC.
“There is also a trend of disruption of Election in PDP strongholds by APC thugs.
“The campaign DG of Fayemi campaign organisation Bimbo Daramola was found campaigning in Ire-Ekiti on Friday after the campaign had closed on Thursday night. He was going around with thugs wielding dangerous weapons.”
5:38pm: Fayose leads as Adebayo is defeated in his own ward by Bamidele
Former Governor Niyi Adebayo of Ekiti State on Saturday lost his Elera Compound Unit 003 polling booth to the candidate of the Labour Party, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
At the polling unit, the All Progressives Congress scored 36 votes, while the LP had 61, and the Peoples Democratic Party, 15.
At Ward A, Iyin 1, unit 002, the APC scored 26, LP 36 and PDP 21.
Also the APC lost to LP at Onikanso Unit 005 Iyin 1 as the party scored 44 against LP’s 63 while the PDP polled only 14 votes.
Also feelers across the state indicate that the candidate of the PDP, former Governor Ayo Fayose, is leading, as the people were seen rejoicing and shouting Oshokomole, Fayose’s nickname.
4:35pm: Fayemi, Bamidele commend peaceful poll
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and candidate of the All Progressives Congress, has commended the peaceful atmosphere in which the state governorship election is being conducted.
The governor, who spoke with journalists after casting his vote at unit 001, Ogilolo Ward, in his Isan country home, commended the early arrival of election materials and commencement of accreditation.
The governor, however decried the late arrival of security men at some polling centres.
Fayemi described the early commencement as an improvement over the Anambra State election, adding that if things continue like this, its a good sign for Nigeria.
He, however, decried indiscriminate arrest of members of the APC at polling centres, saying it was not good for democracy.
He condemned those he described as “busy bodies” whom he said had no business in the election but going about on streets with security operatives to harass the people.
He said: “We are concerned that some people who don’t have anything to do with this election are going about with security men intimidating our people.
“I have reported them to the appropriate authorities and I hope those concerned would be checked.”
The governor also condemned the arrest of some journalists by security men.
The journalists were escorted out of the state.
Fayemi said it was a dent on the nation’s democracy.
Fayemi said the duty of journalists is to inform the people about the election.
He said stopping them from doing their work is unconstitutional.
He said journalists, the world over, operate without borders, adding that they should not have been stopped from doing their work.
He, however, encouraged the people not to be deterred but to vote and stand by their votes.
“This is the right time to speak with their votes and reject what they don’t want,” he said.
His wife, Erelu Bisi, also commended the timely commencement of the exercise but lamented the influx of those she said had nothing to do in the electoral process.
An observer with Department For International Development, Margaret Fagboyo, described the exercise as a great improvement over past elections in the country.
Fagboyo noted that accreditation started early in areas such as Ido, Oloje, Isan and Ado visited by her team.
“What we saw is an improvement over past elections,” she added.
Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the Labour Party’s governorship candidate cast his vote at 1pm at polling unit 03 of Ward B (Eyelori Compound) of Iyin Ekiti of Ekiti State.
Bamidele cast his vote with identification number 127, accompanied by his wife, Oluyemisi, who also she said she voted for Labour Party.
He undertook the process in the presence of security men, international and local observers, including journalists, who were already on ground.
In his comment shortly after he voted, Bamidele reiterated his confidence to win the election and appreciated God for partaking in the process.
He also encouraged the voters not to be intimidated by heavy presence of security men in the polling centres, calling it a positive development.
According to him: “Having just discharged my civic responsibility of casting my vote today, I wish to express gratitude to God not for just voting but for being voted for. I’m glad that I’m part of the process that will usher in a new governor in Ekiti State.
“I have confidence that I’m going to win today’s election judging from all indications and reports we are getting now. I can also say that the voting process is reasonable.
“I urge Ekiti voters not to be intimidated by heavy presence of soldiers.
“It is for good.
“We hope this will encourage transparency in the entire process from polling units to state collation centre.”
Journalists chased out of Ekiti State:Four journalists from Osun State who came to Ekiti State to cover governorship election, were arrested by security men, led by one Mopol Commander Patrick, and escorted out of the state.
They were escorted to the boundary of Ekiti and Osun States.
The mopol commander said the journalists had no business being in Ekiti State.
The journalists, who were arrested at Ifaki Ekiti, Ido Osi Local Government Area, were Jadesola Ajibola of Inspiration FM, Oyetunji Ojo of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Akin Ogunsola of OSBC and Aremu Awolola of OSBC.
It was gathered that the journalists were arrested by over 50 mobile policemen led by the Mopol Commander, Patrick.
Bamidele registers as LP chair, Arise laud INEC:Labour Party’s governorship candidate in the ongoing election in Ekiti State, Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has been accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Bamidele was accredited at exactly 10:31am along with his wife, Oluyemisi, at his Eyelori Compound Unit 03 Ward B in Iyin Ekiti, his hometown.
His Voter’s card number is: 90F5 AE4E IF29 5361 722, while that of his wife is: 90F5 AE48 3939 5058 762.
Bamidele, shortly after the exercise, expressed satisfaction with its smooth take-off in his Ward and used the opportunity to deny speculations about his withdrawal from the race.
Bamidele revealed how both the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress both at the state and national levels have been mounting pressure on him to withdraw from the race, but he refused.
He described the election as a three-horse race, expressing confidence that he would emerge victorious.
Others who accompanied Bamidele to the accreditation venue were Chief Bukky Ajayi (his sister-in-law), Femi Adebayo and Engineer Lawal Apase, both Labour Party chieftains.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Labour Party in Ekiti State, Hon. Akin Omole, and a former member of the National Assembly, Senator Ayo Arise, have commended the early commencement of accreditation of voters.
Speaking with journalists at their respective polling booths, they also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and security operatives for their level of preparedness.
Arise, who spoke at his Imogun Ilemio Ward 1, unit 4 in Oye Ekiti, however, boasted that his party, the PDP, would win convincingly in the entire local government except, Isan Ekiti, the country home of incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi, the candidate of the APC.
Arise, who commended the peaceful nature of the exercise, said the people decided to troop out to vote because they were ready for change.
Omole, who was accredited at Oye Ward 1, unit 003, commended the exercise and large turn out attributing it to sufficient enlightenment.
However, materials arrived some polling centres late.
Areas where our correspondent observed late arrival of election materials were Koko Ward 1, Unit 3, Oyegbaju in Oye Ekiti, where it was said that materials arrived at 9.11am.
The accreditation of voters for the Ekiti State gubernatorial election has commenced peacefully in voting centres visited by correspondents of The Eagle Online in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
There were long queues of voters at polling booths visited for accreditation.
It was also observed that there was orderliness at the centres, with heavy security mounted by mobile policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps.
A presiding officer at unit 008 Ward 9, a corps member, Ojo Oluwasola Rachael, said materials arrived the centre at 7.15am, adding that the exercise had been peaceful.
Voters also defied heavy security presence to perform their civic duties as some people were seen trekking to where they will perform their civic rights.