Nigeria Content Online

There was a large turn out of voters in Ondo State as the
rescheduled National Assembly elections started on a relatively peaceful note
in all of the local councils visited.

As early as 8am, the electorate trooped out to exercise their
civic responsibility. Some of the areas visited were, Supare, Owo, Ose,
Iwaro-Oka, Akungba and Ikare, all in the Northern Senatorial district of Ondo
State. Other areas were: Ondo town, Idanre, Owena and Igbara-Oke areas of the
Central senatorial district.

However, violence was recorded in some areas later as thugs
invaded the polling units shooting intermittently to scare the electorate.
Specifically, some political thugs engaged security operatives in a gun duel in
Ogbese area of Akure Local Government and two of them were reportedly killed in
the process.

“No death was recorded in Ogbese, some thugs engaged the police
in gun duel and they were later arrested by the police,” Mr Aremu said.

Also, there were alleged inducements of voters with cash in
Owo/Ose area as politicians of the three major political parties in the state
openly offered cash to voters in exchange for their votes.

Election did not take place in three out of the eighteen wards
in Arogbo in Ese-Odo Local government area of the state.

In Owo, the Action Congress of Nigeria Candidate (ACN) candidate
for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, complained about the use of government
vehicles to intimidate voters.

The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Alli Olanusi, who spoke with
reporters after voting at his home town, Supare, commended the strict
enforcement of the no-movement order.

Mr Olanusi who voted at Saint James Primary School around
12.35pm said the election was peaceful and devoid of violence.

Praises for INEC

The state governor, Olusegun Mimiko also praised the peaceful
conduct of the accreditation process during the National Assembly elections in
the state.

Mr Mimiko spoke with newsmen shortly after casting his vote at
1pm at Open Space, Opposite Mango Tree polling unit, Lodasa/Iparuku/Lijoka Ward
in Ondo Township as well as his wife, Olukemi.

He praised the diligence of the security agencies in enforcing
the restriction on movement during the election period and ensuring orderliness
at various polling centres during the election.

“Let me say it is too early to be absolutely categorical, but
the preliminary report that we have gotten from the field shows that the whole
exercise had been relatively peaceful particularly because of the enforcement
of the restriction of vehicular movement. The report we got up till the end of
accreditation exercise has been that it has been generally peaceful, but we
don’t know what is happening all over the place now. After this, I will be able
to get in touch to know what actually happened,” the governor said.