http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/08/15/violence-electoral-malpractices-mar-ekiti-senatorial-re-run/

Violence, electoral malpractices mar Ekiti senatorial re-run
Headlines Aug 15, 2009 By Gbenga Ariyibi & Dapo Akinrefon

Ado Ekiti – Violence and sharp electoral malpractices may have marred today’s Ekiti North Senatorial re-run election, even as the Action Congress (AC) candidate, Mr Bunmi Adetunbi was arrested at Ifaki his home town by the Acting Commissioner of Police, Mr Febian Osiji for alleged instigation of crisis in the town.

Adetunbi was later moved to the headquarters of the state police command for questioning.

At today’s election, the first civilian governor of the state , Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo was attacked by suspected hoodlums at Iludun Ekiti while acting as his party’s observer.


INEC Chairman Maurice Iwu and the Inspector General of Police Ogbonna Onovo
Adebayo who had the windsreen of his Toyota Sequola Jeep smashed fingered the chairman of llejemeje Local Government Chairman, Chief Ebenezer Oladipo as responsible for his attack.

Also the former Secretary to the State Government during the regime of Mr Ayo Fayose in the state, Evangelist Adeola Alofe was arrested at his Ayetoro Ekiti country home. Alofe who is a chieftain of AC was arrested for an attempted bid to disrupt the election

In the same manner, the chairman of Moba Local Government, Mr Akin Alebiosu who was in company of about 25 hired thugs with arms was arrested and moved to the headquarters of the state police command.

There was tension , especially at Ifaki Ekiti, Governor Segun Oni’s hometown, where there were sporadic shootings especially around the palace of Olufaki, Oba Gabriel Agbaje.

Some of the vehicles suspected to have been used to rig the election were set ablaze in the town, even journalists covering the election were not spared, as the camera of Tunji Olarewaju, a reporter attached to the African Independent Television [AIT] was smashed, while the official vehicle conveying the correspondents of representatives of media establishments in the state was ordered to leave the town ‘immediately because of their usual negative reporting’

At the Federal Science and Technical College, Usi Ekiti the voters registers of another voting unit were brought to the centr.

Speaking on behalf of the electorates, Chief Femi Akinyemi, chairman of the Local Government Service Commission said the people may be forced to ask the INEC to extend the time of voting so as not to deny electorates chances of voting candidates of their choice.

At Otun Ekiti, headquarters of Moba local Government area of the state, the place was relatively peaceful accept pockets of protests here and there, even as the deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Saliu Adeoti alleged that electoral malpractices was being perfected at the palace of a quarter chief .

At Oye Ekiti, the home town of Chief Ayo Arise there were low turn-outs of voters. It was the same story at Ikole Ekiti.

At Ipao Ekiti, an attempted bid to hijack ballot boxes by some hoodlums was resisted by the supporters of the other candidate, a large quantities of ballot papers were seen litered in all the streets.

Narrating his ordeal in the hands of his attackers, Adebayo said hardly had he alighted from his vehicle that the hoodlums at lludun led by the security orderly of the chairman of Ilejemeje rushed at him and started throwing all sorts of dangerous materials at him, saying he was saved by the timely intervention of his security attaches.

He said his presence in the area may have sent a wrong signal to the leadership of the PDP that his presence there would not allow them to manipulate and rig the election.

He said he has formally reported the matter at the Iye Ekiti Police station where he was assured by the DPO in charge of the station and the governor, Engr Oni who promised to take up the matter personally.

Commenting on the general conduct of the election, the governor, Engr Segun Oni who was cornered by the newsmen at Iye Ekiti police station said the election was peceful in some of the places he visited.

Oni however said some of the electorates were complaning that voters registers were not accurate in some polling units and there was shortage of voting materials.

On the attack of Adebayo, Oni said it was unfortunate, saying he was personally touched about the attack on Adebayo by the hoodlums.

Also speaking, the AC gubernatorial candidate in May6 re-run election, Dr Kayode Fayemi castigated INEC for its poor handling of the election, saying the fact that the comission has identified certain irregularities at the eve of the election was a pointer to the fact that the election would be rigged.

” The intial irregularities discovered by the INEC was a pointer that the election would be rigged, a leopard would never change its colour, ” he added.

When a nation finds it extremely hard to organize a senatorial election then there is a great danger lying ahead for 2011. Its baffling that this nation keeps running in circles. How can the government in power organize free and fair elections come 2011. What a frustration to be a Nigerian!!