Following snatching of election materials in some part of Ilaje and Ondo East local government areas of Ondo State, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Segun Agbaje in the state yesterday cancelled elections in the affected areas.
According to the REC, the affected areas include, Ugbo wards in the state constituency 1, and some units in Ondo East local government.
The Nation had earlier reported that some suspected thugs loyal to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) allegedly hijacked elections materials met for Ugba wards in Ayetoro community in Ilaje council when they were bringing them from the riverine.
Agbaje, who confirmed this, said information filtered in that ballot boxes and papers, meant for several units in Ayetoro and Ugbo Ward 2, were snatched by armed men.
One of the presiding officers, who preferred anonymity disclosed that Ilepete community, the collation centre for Ugbo Ward 3, was also reportedly attacked by armed thugs, who engaged in sporadic shooting at Ilowo to scare voters away.
Also at Ute Ward 12, Unit 6 in Ose Constituency, armed thugs launched an attack, snatching electoral materials and disappearing with them.
INEC also confirmed that there was no voting at Itekule, in Ondo East Local Government, as sustained gunshots kept voters indoors throughout the accreditation and voting period.
Agbaje disclosed that the commission had taken a decision to reschedule the elections in the affected areas, particularly areas where elections did not take place at all.
The REC added, “We have the reports already and we are waiting for the collation officers to finish their work before we can take a final decision.
“If the votes affected in the area are substantial, we will reschedule the election. If we have enough ballot papers after today, we can schedule a bye election for tomorrow (Sunday).
“If we don’t have enough ballot papers, we will just wait for Abuja to supply us the materials and then conduct a bye-election at the same time in all the affected areas.”
He also confirmed that the police had waded into the situation to ensure that peace returned to the affected areas.
Apart from some irregularities, the election witnessed inducement, which was widespread across the state and was perpetrated by a particular political party.
The electorates were offered between one thousand to two thousand naira to vote for candidates of a political party.
Akure South, Akure North, Ikare, Owo, akungba, Uso, Oka, Odigbo, Ile Oluji and other major towns in the state witnessed low turn out of electorates.
A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress( APC) in the state, Mr. Rasaq Obe attributed the low turn out to the complacency by the people.
He said the excitement displayed during the March 28 election was no longer there.
According to Mr. Obe, those who refused to come out and vote because it was only house of assembly election got it wrong, as a rubber stamp assembly cannot move the state forward.
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