Low Turnout, Violence Mar Ondo Local Government Election

There was low turnout in the local government council elections in Ondo State today.

Our correspondent observed that many eligible voters shunned the exercise and chose to stay indoors

There was also a report of violence and ballot snatching at Ward 04 Unit 19 at the Omolere area of Akure, the state capital.

The LG election was earlier scheduled to hold in April but was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But as the situation improved the Chairman, Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission, Yomi Dinakin, announced that the election would hold on August 22.

At the polling units visited by our correspondent in Akure, Owo, Ondo, Idanre, and Isarun, only security agents and polling officials were seen with very few or no voters.

But the two major opposition parties in the state; the Peoples Democratic Party and the Zenith Labour Party announced they would boycott the election.

They said they did not have confidence in the Dinakin-led Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission saddled with the responsibility of conducting the poll.

The Social Democratic Party also.announced that the party would boycott the election in Idanre Local Government Area of the state as a result of violence unleashed on some members of the party ahead of the election.

The women leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mrs Bisi Aderemi, alleged that some agents of the All Progressive Congress were responsible for ballot box snatching at WARD 04 Unit 19.

Based on the malpractice, the PDP has described the local government election as a charade.

The party said this in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Kennedy Ikantu Peretei.

He said “The crisis witnessed in the Saturday’s local government election was a proof that PDP was very right to have boycotted the charade called the local government election. It was an exercise marked with impunity, unpardonable brigandage and violence.

“Twenty four hours before the election, APC thugs unleashed violence on opposition parties in Ondo town, Idanre and Owo that attempted to participate in the election. In thousands of polling units, neither voting materials nor ODIEC personnel were seen at about noon on election day. Where they were seen, ballot papers were in short supply.”