Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Eyitayo Jegede eventually voted at 11:08 am, 10 minutes after the card reader failed to read his fingerprint and that of his wife, Eno.
Clad in white native attire with a blue cap to match, he dropped his ballot paper with excitement using two fingers to express victory.
He cast his vote at Ward 2, Unit 9 at Sacred Heart Primary School in Akure.
He had waited for about 30 minutes on queue before the card reader could clear him to vote and expressed dissatisfaction over the malfunctioning of the card reader.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to put more efforts into making the card readers to work perfectly well to enable the electorate to cast their votes.
Earlier, there was a downpour but thousands of prospective voters defied it and waited at their polling units to cast their votes.
Jegede who arrived his polling unit for accreditation and voting in company with his wife, Eno, expressed delight with the large turnout of voters.
The PDP’s candidate declined the offer to cast his vote ahead of intending voters he met on a long queue.
“I won’t vote ahead of the people I met here. These people left some other duties to come and perform their civic responsibilities.
“Nobody is above the law and we must lay good examples to enhance the true democratic culture,” he said.
In an interview with reporters, Jegede said he would win the election despite pockets of violence in some areas in Akure and Owo.
He said he was yet to receive reports from remote communities in the state as at press time.
He commended voters for their large turnout and for conducting themselves peacefully so far in the exercise.
On reports of violence, Jegede alleged one of his supporters, Sodiq Obanoyen, was attacked at his polling unit in Owo by thugs and some men clad in black dress, who he alleged were led by an unnamed commissioner.
Despite the incidents of violence, Jegede said he would win.
“Despite all of those incidents, we will win by the grace of God,” he said.
NAN/The Nation
