High turnout of voters in Ondo poll

As the Ondo State governorship election got underway on Saturday, there was a high turnout of voters, allaying fears of apathy.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was apprehension of likely voter apathy over the violence that broke out in some parts of the state.

A chieftain of the APC, Afolabi Olaposi, was killed on Thursday night in Owo, the hometown of Rotimi Akeredolu, the party’s flag-bearer in the election.

NAN, however, reports that the turnout of voters in many polling units was impressive.

At Ikare Akoko in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo North Senatorial District, accreditation and voting started at exactly 8:a.m. amidst the massive turnout of voters.

At Iyometa Ward 2, Unit 3, Ikare, the Presiding Officer, Mr Sam Adeniyi, expressed satisfaction with the voter turnout, adding that the accreditation and voting were going on without any hitch.

“As you can see now, we are just starting and the turnout is very impressive,” he said.

Similarly, at Iyometa Ward 2,Unit 2,the Presiding Officer, Miss Janet Umes, said that the voters were cooperating and the situation was calm while turnout was impressive

“About 100 people have been accredited and voted as at 9:10 a.m.,” she said.

Speaking with NAN , Mr Jimoh Lateef, the Presiding Officer at CAC Ward 1 Unit 10,Ogbagi Akoko, said that the card reader was working perfectly.

Mr Oguntumiyin Felix, a former Chairman of Akoko North- West Local Government, Ogbagi Akoko, said that the turnout was impressive.

“The card reader has been misbehaving in my unit as it reads some people’s prints while failing to read some others.

“ But the process is still better compared with the last election,” he said.

A former Commissioner for Transportation in the state, Chief Omoniyi Omodara, also lauded the peaceful atmosphere being experienced.

Omodara told NAN shortly after casting his vote that the concrete preparation by INEC and the orderliness of electorate ensured a hitch-free exercise.

“So far, at least this election has been fair and orderly.

” I am happy that people are coming out to vote for the candidate of their choice and everywhere is peaceful, ” Omodara said.

The Alliance for Democracy chieftain advised residents to be peaceful after casting their votes and wait for the outcome of the election.

“Let there be no thuggery or fighting,’’ he said.

Also, the PDP Chairman in the state, Mr Clement Faboyede, expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of the election.

Faboye, made this known while casting his vote at Ward 1,Unit 06 in Ifedore Local Government Area.

He, however, expressed concern over the malfunction of the card reader in most part of the state, especially in Ondo West Local Government Area, saying that it would prevent people from voting.

A PDP chieftain in the state, Mr Fabolagun Ajana, also noted there was a low turnout at his Ward 8,Unit 08 in Ilara-Mokin, Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Works, Mr Gboye Adegbenro, said he was pleased with the orderly manner people had conducted themselves.

He urged voters to come out and exercise their civic responsibility as this would enable them elect a leader of their choice.

Meanwhile, food vendors and other traders made brisk business in various polling units across the state.

NAN reports that many voters had trooped to their polling units to buy food, sachet water and other drinks.

The restriction on vehicular movement had forced many shop owners to close their shops, creating business boom for road side hawkers.