VIOLENT protests broke out in Ado-Ekiti last night as the results of the gubernatorial re-run elections in Ekiti State yesterday were announced by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mrs. Ayoka Adebayo.
The PDP candidate, Mr Segun Oni was returned as the winner, polling 111,140 to Dr Kayode Fayemi of the AC’s 107,017 votes. The results were announced at 9.05pm.
The protesters barricaded the streets and set fire on disused tyres. Newsmen were not spared as some cybercafes in the town where they were sending their stories were not spared.
But indications emerged that the PDP might have carried the day, as the Action Congress has rejected results of the outcome of the re-run. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who spoke with Vanguard on telephone, said: “What has happened in Ekiti State calls to question the integrity of the Resident Electoral Comissioner, Mrs Olusola Adebayo.”
His words: “What exactly was the problem when she resigned her appointment early last week? She said her conscience would not allow her to do what she was asked to do. What pressure was put on her and by whom?
What would have altered her letter of resignation? What she has done tonight (yesterday) is that she has disappointed her conscience. I can assure you that we will challenge this in court.”
Polls marred by low turn-out
The postponed Oye Wards 1 and 2 gubernatorial election which took place yesterday was marred with low turn-out of voters. The two wards registered heavy presence of securitymen made up of combined teams of anti-riot policemen, regular police, State Security Service (SSS) operatives and military personnel
All the major roads leading to the town were manned by soldiers while those traveling long distances were thoroughly checked.
As usual, both the AC and PDP traded accusations on the election. While the Action Congress alleged that the PDP used thugs, the PDP retorted by saying the presence of AC members in Oye-Ekiti overwhelmed the party.
Though, the election was generally peaceful, the turnout of voters was very low, a development that was attributed to the heavy presence of security operatives.
For instance, at Oye Ward I unit 004, only 30 voters turned out to vote as at 12.30 p.m, while at Oye Ward 2, Unit 15 only nine people turned out to vote as at 3.pm when voting had officially closed.
The suspected movement of a member of the national assembly from the area to some of the polling units was resisted by some youths who quickly alerted the Police.
At Ward 2, Unit 15, Unity College in the town, there would have been a row when an AC agent, Mr Segun Ajayi raised an alarm that some of the voters who presented themselves to vote are fake, saying the unit was originally meant for students and staff of the school and that the school was presently on recess.
At the end of the exercise, in the two wards, out of 2,060 that voted, the PDP had 1,239, while the AC recorded 830 votes.
Fayemi commends security men
In his reaction, the AC gubernatorial candidate, Dr Kayode Fayemi commended the security operators for a job well done, saying he was impressed with the performance of the security operatives for not allowing people with dubious intention to manipulate the election in the area
Also commenting, the state PDP chairman, Mr Bolu Ojo said he was impressed with the presence of heavy security operatives in the town.
But the chairman of the AC, Chief Jide Awe, in his reaction noted that the country is at its precipice and heading towards doom if, after the election, INEC announced results which did not reflect the wishes of the people.
Presence of AC members overwhelmed us — Senator Ayo Arise
While commenting on the low turnout of voters which greeted the election, Senator Ayo Arise, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, said though the election went smoothly, members of the PDP were however overwhelmed by the presence of Action Congress members in Oye.
According to him, “We were overwhelmed by the presence of the AC people, who came from far and wide; from all the local governments in Ekiti State; from outside the state, including Lagos. All the members of the State House of Assembly were here and they came in the droves with their supporters. All of them were wearing AC observer tags.
“It’s a dimension that nobody prepared for here since the government had said that people should stay within their domain for this election.”
The PDP chieftain said further that “we were a little bit ambushed by this overwhelming presence of AC members in this town. They came with a singular intention to rig us (PDP) out of this election. I will not be able to say that I cannot measure their level of success; but I think by and large, the PDP has taken the day in Oye as widely expected.”
PDP used thugs — Niyi Adebayo
On his part, one-time governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, accused members of the Peoples Democratic Party of allegedly attempting to intimidate AC agents.
His words: “All I can say is that I try not to jump into conclusion. Although, I was a bit distressed before the polls actually opened over the attitude of the PDP members. They actually used some thugs to drive away our party agents from some of the polling booths. And unfortunately, the regular policemen that were around, obviously because they were not armed, were unable to do anything about it. They (Policemen) just stood back and watched events unfold.
There was a particular agent that was particularly beaten and striped naked for refusing to leave. The police men were just looking and when I asked them why they were looking and not trying to save the situation, they said they had no arms and that there was nothing they could do. But luckily, a patrol team of Mobile police men came around and they were able to save the situation. If not for them (Mopol), they probably would have killed the poor man.
“We had 20 policemen per polling booth, but they were not effective because they were not armed. And that’s why people like us had to stand there to try and monitor and make sure that nobody tries to runaway with ballot boxes.”
While commenting on the apathy that greeted the re-run, the former governor said “well, I don’t think it’s a case of people not coming out to vote. The people that have registered have come to vote. Of course that is what they will claim. But I am not in a position to say whether that is the situation or not. Oye is not a massive town; most of the houses are on the main road. Even if you do a census of the number of houses here and you try to calculate, I doubt very much that you can fit 18,000 people into the number of houses here.”
PPA demands equity in Ekiti election
On its part, the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, says the Ekiti election which has generated so much disaffection is an acid test for the much-touted rule of law of the Yar’Adua administration.
The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Ben Onyechere said “the president should understand that the whole nation is keenly watching what his party would come up with in the event that PDP loses the election.
“It is convincingly clear that the PDP is about to lose the election judging from their predisposition to the Resident Electoral Commissioner’s reluctance to conclude the elections. The call for the transfer of Mrs Ayoka Adebayo by the PDP spokesman is merely wishing away the prominence of opposition against the PDP in Ekiti.
“With the rapid development of events, the south west wishes to demonstrate their discouragement and disenchantment about the PDP misrule over a nation that ought to have joined the league of twenty most developed economies.
The convergence of a strong opposition in Ekiti especially that which includes the former governor Ayo Fayose, Bola Tinubu in addition to all other opposition parties is an eminent evidence for Nigerians to ponder about the unfortunate decadence, economic, social and political malaise which has been imposed on us all unwillingly.
“The hand writing is all over the wall with what to expect in 2011 elections where it is anticipated that the generality of Nigerians will join suit and vote for their freedom.”
RESULTS
WARD VOTES CAST
AC PDP
Ido-Osi 3,793 1 5,939
Oye-Ekiti 802 1,268
Ekiti East 3,829 4,711
Ekiti West 1,149 2,497
Ikole LGA 3,639 4,471