Ekiti Conducts Referendum For Creation Of 18 Local Government Areas

Ekiti State Government on Saturday conducted a state-wide referendum on the creation of 18 local government areas in the state.

The referendum was held in 137 out of the 177 electoral wards in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that Ekiti governor-elect, Mr Ayo Fayose, had urged the people to boycott the reference being conducted by Gov. Kayode Fayemi, who would leave office in October.

A NAN correspondent who monitored the exercise, reports that there was large turn-out in places like Ikere-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Ifaki-Ekiti, Okemesi-Ekiti and Iyin-Ekiti.

The turn-out in Ire-Ekiti and Ikoro-Ekiti, and other areas was not impressive.

Former governor Niyi Adebayo and the Commissioner for Cooperation and Integration, Mr Funminiyi Afuye, both chieftains of APC in Iyin-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti commended the exercise, describing it as “free and fair.”

But the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Pastor Kola Kolawole, described the exercise as“ a failure, null and void.”