Ekiti governorship election has been marred by vote buying as politicians are trying to outspend one another. Voters and security operatives are being induced.

#EkitiDecides2022 Security operatives abandon polling unit to share money collected from a politician #EkitiDecides #Ekiti pic.twitter.com/9KX8WbEUWg

— Nwachukwu John Owen (@johnowen99) June 18, 2022

Drama as some party officials are seen fighting over money disbursed to be shared among voters in the Ikole Local Government Area of the state.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti, Chief Bisi Kolawole, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for making adequate arrangements for the election.

Engr. Shegun Oni, the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has alleged vote buying in the ongoing Ekiti governorship election.

Gunshots have been fired from the palace of the king of Ifaki, hometown of Chief Segun Oni, Candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the ongoing Ekiti governorship election.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Bisi Kolawole at Ward 8 unit 1, Efon Alaaye, casting his vote in the ongoing Ekiti State guber election.

The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Segun Oni, arrives the polling unit in his hometown, Ifaki, ward 4, unit 6.

The SDP, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, are considered major challengers in the election.

Voting has commenced at various Polling Units in Ekiti State, while accreditation is still ongoing at some others.

This is Pa Sunday David Ogundele being assisted as he casts his vote.

According to. him, he started voting in 1964.

Although he could not say his exact age, the man said he is above 80. He is visually impaired and walks with the aid of a stick.

Voters in Ado Ekiti, precisely those at Polling Unit 001, said “No to Vote Buying”. According to them, they won’t trade their votes for money to cook a pot of stew.

The Ekiti State governorship election holds today, Saturday, the 18th of June, 2022.

The main contenders in terms of political parties are the All Progressives Congress, APC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

Segun Oni is bearing the flag of the SDP, Olabisi Kolawole is the candidate of the PDP, while the ruling APC has Biodun Oyebanji as its candidate.

Although the election has been seen as a three-horse race, other political parties such as the Young Progressives Party (YPP) with its candidate, Ranti Ajayi; African Democratic Congress (ADC), represented by Oluwole Oluyede; and the Action Democratic Party ADP, with Kemi Elebute Halle, cannot be regarded as pushovers.

All mentioned six governorship candidates are in the race to succeed Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and had battled it out in a debate held in Ado-Ekiti last Saturday where they made their plans and policies known to the people of the state.

Oni promised to focus his attention on job creation, saying that over 100,000 jobs would be created in his first year in office, while Ajayi, on his part, emphasized wealth creation.

Elebute-Halle, the sole female candidate in the race, said she will prioritise security if elected governor of the state while Kolawole of the PDP said he has always been an independent-minded person, following allegations that he is Ayodele Fayose’s aide.

For ADC’s Oluyede, he is in the contest to correct many wrongs in the state, while Oyebanji of the APC said his experience both as the immediate past secretary to the state government and former commissioner for budget and economic planning will help him achieve speedy success if elected governor.

9:07am

PU 8

Ward A

Ijero LGA

Voters are queuing to vote. There is no challenge with the election gadgets, according to APO III.

9;02am

Irepodun Ifelodun LGA

Ward 09

PU 004

Voting exercise in this PU has become an open voting.

Voters showing who they voted for. A man has been seen voting for the APC. The action caused disagreement between party agents. They want the box changed

At 8:49am

PU 003, Oke Igbana, in front of Baba Egbe’s house,

Eda Oniyi (code 02), Ilejemeje LGA

INEC officials addressing the voters as the election voting is about to start.

8:50- PU 014 Community Primary School,

Ward 03 Ikole East,

Ikole LGA

The BVAS machine has rejected the accreditation of an old woman. Fingerprint and facial recognition did not work as well. She has been asked to wait.

EMURE LGA, Ekiti South

Ward 07 (IDAMUDU1),

PU 006 (Ogundare)

Arguments arising from a voter with one of the APO.

The voter believes the APO is allowing the other person to jump the queue.

8:32am

Efon LGA RA 10, PU 011

Oke Are field, Oke Are II

Accreditation just commenced for the elderly persons.

8:52 AM,

The PO, Edun Mohammed, who is also corp member, has violence has erupted in his PU 2, Ward 2, Chief Elemo compound, Idemo, Ado LGA.

The PO, APO and the security detail accompany ing them have stopped the accreditation process as they vacated the scene and brought all the election materials to St Paul Anglican Primary School where PU 009 Ward 2 is situated.

PU 2

Ward D

Ijero LGA

Accreditation and voting is on simultaneously.

Attention is given to the elderly to cast their votes first while many of them complain of waiting in line for long.

PLWDAs cannot be sited here.

The APO III noted that the party agents are not in agreement to allow those with disabilities or eye challenges to be assisted.

8:42 am

LGA: Iṣẹ/Orun, Ekiti South

Ward 04: Erinwa 1

PU: 004 local govt bus stop

There was a problem with the capturing but it has been resolved now.

8:41am

PU 013, Inf. of Aafin/Okeowa Aafin

Igogo 11, Moba LGA

In this seemingly rowdy PU, officials have accredited the first person on the queue who has also successfully cast her vote. Recall that the accreditation and voting process are performed simultaneously now.

8:20am

Ward 11, Isan/Ilafon/Ilemeso

PU 7

Oye LGA

The Presiding Officer conducts voter education, addressing the voters. She mentioned that mobile phones are not required in the voting process and that elections will commence at exactly 8:30am.

8:41AM

PU: 011

Ward: 01 Atiba/Aafin

Ikere LGA,Ekiti South

Ad hoc staff arrived late and are just setting up (open space in front of Akinlaja Hall)

The PU has just four accredited voters – three females and a male. The environment is calm

Ekiti Guber election: INEC officials commence accreditation process at Irepodun/Ifelodun ward

8:14am

PU 003, Ilejisun 1&11, in front of Adetifa’s house,

Obada (code 03), Ilejemeje LGA

INEC officials are fully prepared for the election and registered Voters are been pasted on the wall.

At 8:18am

PU 004, BESIDE MR. JEGEDE’S HOUSE ‐ ILUGA, Ikole East, Ikole Ekiti LGA.

The voters are checking their names on the wall and also waiting for the commencement election. There are no modalities for the queuing yet.

Time: 8:20 am     

LGA: Irepodun/Ifelodun Ward: 11 Iyin II PU Code: 001

Content: Voters are checking their names on the voting list. INEC officials are ready to start the accreditation process by 8:30am as the Assistant Presiding Officer shows voters the ballot box with security operatives in place. INEC officials and security operatives are without face masks. Elderly people are seated, voters are on the queue and COVID 19 protocol is not observed.

 8:23am

PU 4, Ward C, Ijero LGA

A person with a disability is seen here not joining the queue as he’s set to vote. Although voting is yet to start.

Other voters are on queue while some are checking their names on the registration list

8:25am

PU 013, Inf. of Aafin/Okeowa Aafin

Igogo 11, Moba LGA

PU 009

Ward 09

Irepodun Ifelodun LGA

APO is addressing voters who seem to be impatient with the process.

COVID-19 measures are not observed.

The INEC officials have arranged all the necessary materials needed for the voting process.

Meanwhile, electorates are still coming in to check their names on the pasted list.

Follow this thread for updates and results of the Ekiti State governorship election.

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