OUTGOING governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has warned his party agents to make sure ballot boxes in their various polling units are not carted away by political thugs.

Two parties are the major contenders in the gubernatorial election. The PDP is the ruling party while APC is the opposition.

Governor Fayose who belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave the warning on Saturday while moving out to cast his vote in the ongoing governorship election in the State.

He was reacting to cases of ballot snatching which marred the exercise. Apart from ballot snatching, asaaultation and financial inducement were also recorded in the ongoing election.

On his way out, the governor received a phone call inundating him of the snatching ballot snatching going on.

Reacting, he gave out orders that the party agents should protect their votes even if their throats were slitted.

“Even if they are going to cut your neck, let them cut the neck. So long as the ballot boxes are there”, he told a party agent on the phone.

Receiving another phone call, he said: “I don’t want to hear stories. Vote and protect your votes.

“Don’t come back to Ado-Ekiti without protecting. Whosoever’s ballot boxes they are carting away should better remain in his community”.

Residents turned out in large numbers across the state to vote in a new candidate who will govern them for the next four years.

Voters including the elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, youths among others were seen at the polls to exercise their rights to vote.

No fewer than five thugs who stormed Mary lmmaculate , Oke ilado, polling unit 008 and ldofin, Father Blessing house, Ado LGA snatched and snatched two ballot boxes.