Ondo 2024 Election: Heavy militarisation, mass vote buying Mars poll credibility | The Guardian Nigeria News

The governorship election to be held in Ondo on Saturday will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most peaceful elections in the history of the state, given the zero violence recorded during the poll.

The election got off to a clean start, with voting materials and election officials arriving early and voters patiently waiting for them to arrive.

However, the process has been heavily militarized with the presence of military officers stationed at various intersections in many parts of the state.

While monitoring the election, military roadblocks numbering no less than 30 were observed between Akure, the state capital, and Oke-Agbe, the headquarters of Akoko North West, with tough-looking personnel holding back journalists and election observers.

The situation became tense at Ikare junction in Owo after military officers refused to open the barricaded road to journalists despite being presented with ID cards.

At the ‘Semu-semu’ junction in Ikare-Akoko, Akoko North East Local Council Area, some soldiers on the road blocked journalists and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials from accessing the road for more than 30 minutes. . However, intervention by senior officials was required before the soldiers allowed accredited personnel to continue their duties.

Meanwhile, voters in Owo and Akoko in the Northern Senatorial District of the state participated in the exercise in their numbers as they lined up to vote for their preferred candidate.

It was later revealed that the huge turnout of voters was a result of vote trading observed in various polling units monitored.

At Unit 10, Ward 1, Edo/Ishakunmi in Akoko North East Local Council, Ikare-Akoko, some persons of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were seen inducing voters with N15,000 each. This is the same as the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) being accused of encouraging voters with cash.

The findings also revealed that the funds were distributed to all wards and the amount ranged from N35 million to N64 million.

The vote-buying syndrome has been further aggravated by the presence of some neighboring APC and PDP governors in Ondo spending money on voter instigation under the guise of mobilizing indigenes of their states residing in Ondo to vote for candidates of their respective parties. .

This is likely a new way to reach voters through natives of other states who live in states with off-cycle elections.

While speaking on the situation, Rasheed Elegbeleye, a former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly representing Akoko North East state constituency and chief of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lamented that elections in Nigeria are now for the highest bidder. .

According to Elegbeleye, “The highest bidder won. APC shared N15,000 in this unit. “When people heard they were going to share the money, they all came together.”

Former member of the House of Representatives, Gbenga Elegbeleye, described the elections in the unit as peaceful and without grudges.

According to him, “People voted. It was huge and I must once again congratulate INEC for being responsible and transparent. Participation is quite high. Voters arrived around 7 a.m. There is no vote buying in this unit, people vote according to their conscience. Votes here are not for sale. In other words, they voted according to the choice of the candidate they wanted to vote for. There is no incentive. “I think if someone has to give it, it should be mine, but I don’t give it to anyone.”

It was the same scenario in Edo Zone, Igbede Unit 7, Ikare-Akoko Local Council and polling unit 003, Ibewari 1, Post Office Buildings, Ward 14-Oba-Akoko, Akoko South West Local Council Areas of the state. Agents in the field to buy votes from voters.

However, in Akoko South West, Okede, Baptist Primary School Oba Akoko, Ward 15, polling unit 2, the election could not be held until 12:00 pm as BIVAS could not catch the voters due to weather conditions in the area. .

While commending INEC officials for arriving early for the exercise, Home Affairs Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, stationed at Ward 03, Unit 17 Courtroom/Igafo/Araoye in Akoko North West LGA, said: “Akoko North West is never a troubled place.

“There was no ballot box cancellation in the 2023 elections. It wasn’t there in the 2024 midterm election, it wasn’t there in 2019 either. So we are peaceful people, we believe in democratic principles. We let people come and vote, we let people decide. You see the atmosphere is calm, there is more of a celebratory atmosphere.

“INEC has been amazing because so far I have received calls from as early as 7am that they are at the polling station. Therefore, the preparedness seems to be at a high level.”

However, while Tunji-Ojo denied vote buying, Zenith Labor Party candidate Abbas Mimiko and PDP Deputy Governor candidate Festus Akingbaso alleged that the APC incentivized voters with cash.

Mimiko, who voted in Open Space under Ondo West Local Council Mango Tree Unit 020, was furious when she challenged INEC officials and police officials for encouraging vote buying in her polling unit, as was Akingbaso, whose popularity eclipsed the situation. APC State chairman Ade Adetimehin and Dr Idanre. Pius Akinyelure alleged that the APC was not only buying votes but also engaging in agitation. Bandits to disrupt voting in the area.

To further justify the vote-buying allegations, DSS officials were accused of being accused of voting in St. Paul in Akure, Ondo State. He allegedly apprehended a male suspect in Ward 4, Polling Unit 007, outside St. Stephen Primary School. It was stated that the suspect was caught with two bags full of money used to persuade voters during the election.

However, the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Ondo State, Mr. Steve Otaloro, has debunked allegations that the ruling party sent bandits to Ofosun in Idanre Local Government Area to disrupt the governorship election.

The party spokesman said that the information they received showed that “no such thing” happened.

Similarly, the Ondo State Information Commissioner, Otaloro, said: “I am currently in APC status. First of all, let me say that the person you are talking about is the deputy governorship candidate of Agboola Ajayi of PDP. If you remember, PDP held a press conference two days ago and claimed that the violence that took place there was caused by APC. In all the places he mentioned, was he on the ground in all of those places? He had to be in the polling station; Even if he was called, he should have taken due care to be on the ground.”

Lucky Aiyedatiwa Campaign Organization managing director Abiola Makinde also said she was not aware of any vote buying or violence in the elections.

He said INEC and security officials were great and voters acted flawlessly.

However, as of 7pm, INEC had attributed more than 90 per cent of the results in 18 local governments to IREV; voters were waiting for the commission to declare the final winner.