Deputy Governor Hails Ondo Residents For Shunning LG Election

Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi, has hailed the people of the state for “shunning the charade called local government election purportedly held on Saturday.”

The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission conducted council poll in the 18 local government areas of the state on Saturday August 22 but the exercise recorded low turnout of voters.

The Peoples Democratic Party and the Zenith Labour Party, which is the deputy governor’s party, boycotted the poll while the Social Democratic Party also boycotted the election in Idanre.

Reacting to the council poll in a statement on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Babatope Okeowo, the deputy governor said despite that the All Progressives Congress did not have opposition in the election, government officials still allegedly engaged in ballot snatching and violence.

The statement read, “The deputy governor was appalled by the high level of violence and brigandage that characterised an election that was conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission to usher in elected officials at the third tier of government.

“Reports available to the deputy governor showed that many people were injured in some local government areas while government functionaries in conjunction with security agencies were seen carting away ballot papers.

“The deputy governor commended the good people of the state who saw through the facade called Local Government election and stayed away from it.

“From the charade held on Saturday, it is clear that the All Progressives Congress led government in Ondo State has lost the goodwill that brought it to office four years ago.

“It is also clear to all and sundry that the charade put up by the outgoing governor of Ondo State in the name of local government election which is a ploy to escape the people’s wrath for his poor governance in the state has failed.”

Ajayi asked the people of Ondo State to get their permanent voter cards ready ahead of the October 10 governorship election ‘ to vote out this nepotic and underperforming government of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.”

He expressed confidence that the governorship election would be devoid of violence and would reflect the electoral wish of the people of the state.