The Governorship Election to determine who occupies the coveted Alagbaka seat of power in Ondo State held today as the people of the sunshine state moved to the various polling units statewide get to choose the person and political party that will govern their state for the next four years.
Candidates and political parties have been traversing the length and breadth, nooks and crannies of the state to convince the electorate to cast their votes for them.
Similarly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has promised to deliver a free and fair election while security operatives have given assurances of total security before, during, and after the polls.
Though 17 candidates are vying for the number one seat in the state, the race is expected to be majorly between three candidates – incumbent Governor and candidates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Eyitayo Jegede and Agboola Ajayi, incumbent Deputy Governor, of the Zenith Labour Party ZLP.
Interestingly, the three leading candidates are spread across the three senatorial zones in the state. Akeredolu, Jegede and Ajayi are from Ondo North, Central and South respectively.
Sorting and counting of votes have started in some Polling Units.
2:18 PM: Voting ended in many Polling Units and anyone who is not on the queue before 2:30 PM will not be allowed to vote INEC officials have declared.
1:35 PM: Voting ended at Ward 6, PU 001 at Ifedore LGA, no voter left on the queue.
1:07 PM: Voters defied the rain and stayed on queue to cast their votes at PU 05, Ward 7, Irele LGA.
12: 54 PM: Okitipupa LG, Ode Aye I. PU 003: Methodist Primary School. Most of the voters had already cast their ballots and there were only a few people left.
12: 50 PM: Okitipupa LGA, Ward 05 PU 016, Surulere/Likinyo, open space at Surulere. Everywhere was peaceful and only few people were left on the queue casting their votes.
12: 45 PM: Akoko South-East LG. Uba Junction RA 05 PU 04. The registered voters in the PU is 580. Only 288 of the registered voters were confirmed to have Voted, Hence officials awaited the other voters.
12: 44 PM: Ese Odo local government area, Ondo South. Apoi I, ward 1, Polling Unit 011 (R.C.M SCH OJUALA). Accreditation and voting were ongoing. Voters were not observing covid-19 guidelines.
12: 30 PM: There was a large turn out of voters but lots of complaints about card reader failure at PU9, Ward 1, Akoko North West LGA.
12:17 PM: Betty, wife of Governor Akeredolu debunked rumours of her being attacked after casting her vote. Video in circulation discovered to be old and doctored.
11:57 AM: All voters on ground had cast their vote at PU 09 at Mariwo ward, Ifedore LGA, while INEC officials awaited more voters.
11:01 AM: Card reader failed to read Jegede and wife’s fingerprints. Their daughter however had been able to vote. The PDP candidate and his wife were however later able to vote after waiting in line for about two hours.
10:53 AM: Boat carrying INEC officials, election materials capsized. No casualty recorded.
10:20 AM: Ad-hoc staff at Ifedore LGA, Ward 6, PU 1 were forced to relocate the polling unit due to rainfall which started around 9:34AM. Voting was yet to recommence.
9:38 AM – Akeredolu and wife arrived polling unit of Owo, ward 5, Unit 6. The Governor and his wife were given priority and had cast their votes.
9:22 AM – Shooting reported at Pollíng Unit 11, Edo Lodge in Oke Ijebu, Akure.
9:17 AM – The Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the Ondo State governorship election, Eyitayo Jegede, has arrived at his polling unit.
The former Attorney-General of the state arrived at the Sacred Heart Primary School, Ward 2, Polling Unit 1 around 9:15 am.
08:54 AM – Voter turn out in many polling units was impressive but social distancing was not observed.
08:45 AM – ZLP candidate, Agboola Ajayi debunked report of pulling out of governorship race.
08:40 AM – Voter accreditation began at PU: 009, Registration Area: 2, Sacred Heart Primary School, Akure South – Eyitayo Jegede, the PDP candidate’s polling unit.
08:14AM – Akoko North West ward 08 PU:001. Card reader was not working, voters were asked to use their registration number. Most voters couldnot remember their registration number. Tempers were rising.
08:10AM – Team Akoko North West Arigidi 2 PU 010 Ward 02 Voting materials were being set up. People were waiting to vote. There were two security officers present.
08:01AM –Akoko Southwest LGA, Ward 07 Oka PU 005. Voters were already on queue ready to vote. There was a policy of No nose-mask, no voting. Social distancing was not maintained at all.
08:00AM – Akoko North East Ward: 13 PU 005 (Local Council Chairman’s PU). INEC officials were around and preparation wa still on-going.
7:58AM – Owo LGA Ward 05 (Ijebu 11) PU: 006 A light rain restricted other prospective voters from coming to the polling unit.
7:55AM – Akoko South West LGA 04 Ward 09 Ikun PU 003 Ikun III, Holy Trinity Primary School Voters began to form a queue at the polling unit and were awaiting the start of the voting process.
7:53AM – Akoko North east Arigidi ward 1, Unit 04. INEC officials shared nose masks to security operatives. Voters checked their names on the list.
7:46 AM – Ose LGA Ward 10 PU 02 Imoru. INEC officials, Corp members and Security agents were waiting for rain to stop so the election could begin. Every material needed for the election was set.
7:41 AM – Akoko Southwest LG Akungba ii ward 2 PU 002 (AC/CAC UNITED Primary School) A number security officers were on ground.
7:40 AM – Akoko North East Ward: 13 PU 002 Some personnel were on ground but the unit was not at full preparedness. PO 1 was not on sight but assistant PO was available.
7:33 AM – Ileoluji/Oke-Igbo Ondo Central SD, Ward 1, PU 001 Potential voters were checking the pasted voter lists. There was little compliance with COVID-19 rules. Two security officers were seen at the unit. INEC officials were seen setting up their stands.
7:25 AM – Akoko South West, Ward 5, PU 14, Iworin II. INEC officials on ground.
7:20 AM – At Ward 9 (Ọba-Ilẹ̀) , PU 11 of Àkúré North LGA, as INEC officials set up voting materials as voters checked for their names on the voter’s register.
7:18 AM – Ward 09 (Oba Ile), PU 008 of Akure North LGA. Voters were checking the list for their names as INEC officials were setting up electoral materials for the day.
7:16 AM – Ondo East Bolorunduro ward 3 PU 1, market/Ekimogun High School .INEC officials had posted the list of registered voters and voters were seen checking out their names.
7:15 AM– At Ward 9 (Ọba-Ilẹ̀) , PU 10 of Àkúré North LGA, everything had been set as INEC officials awaited the commencement of voting proper.
6:55 AM – Ward 9 (Ọba-Ilẹ̀), PU 9 of Àkúré North LGA. INEC officials were pasting the voters registry and setting up materials for the day. Four policemen were present.
6:50 AM – Ward 9, PU 7 Àkúré North LGA. INEC officials were pasting the voters register and setting up materials. Four security officials were present – 3 police officers and a civil defense corp.
6:47 AM – In ward 9, PU 6 of Akure North LGA. INEC officials began setting up for voting materials. There were six policemen at the polling unit.
6:31 AM – Ose LGA. INEC officials were seen at St Anglican Primary School moving some materials to their polling units. Officials were seen moving materials to their area of deployment.
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