Security tightened as Mimiko, Oke, Akeredolu battle for Ondo governorship

Security has been tightened ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
Since Thursday, the presence of security personnel in Ondo State, especially the state capital, Akure, has been on the increase.
In the bid to ensure no one toys with the security arrangements put in place, the Nigerian Army has directed its officers and men to shoot any troublemaker who resists arrest.
As at Friday evening, over 20 truck loads of soldiers were sighted in Akure.
Regular and riot policemen are also engaged in searching of vehicles leaving and entering the state capital.
The increase in security appears to have had a positive impact as no untoward incident was recorded in the state on Friday.
The distribution of election materials by the Independent National Electoral Commission went with little or no hitches.
Both sensitive and non-sensitive materials are already being distributed.
The accreditation of staff of INEC, journalists and observers also went smoothly except for the fact that it took a long time.
The three main contenders for the governorship seat – Dr. Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party, Barrister Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party and Barrister Rotimi Akeredolu of the Action Congress of Nigeria – were on Friday engaged in final round meetings for the election.
Accreditation is scheduled to start at 8am.
Meanwhile the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Akin Orebiyi, has said that election will not hold in two polling units in Ese-Odo Local Government Area.
Orebiyi said this was as a result of disagreement over where the polling unit should be located.