The relatively low turnout of voters notwithstanding, the conduct of the House of Assembly polls in Ekiti State on Saturday was generally peaceful and by late Saturday evening, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in the state capital had erupted in jubilation over what they said was a favourable outcome of the polls.
In Oke Ila, Okeyinmi, Irona and Isato areas of the state capital, there were rallies by the party’s supporters, who claim that the results they had from their various wards, showed that their party had won all the 26 seats in the state House of Assembly.
Also, most of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the House of Assembly involved in moves to impeach Governor Ayo Fayose, were not in their constituencies as Sunday Tribune monitored the election around the state.
No fewer than 12 APC legislators, led by the embattled speaker, Dr Adewale Omirin, are seeking re-election for another term in the Assembly.
Omirin, who represents Gbonyin constituency, was not at his Aisegba-Ekiti home to vote, while sources said that he was keeping away “for his safety for obvious reasons.”
It was also gathered that the other APC lawmakers in the state, who hadn’t been in the public, were also not seen at their various polling units.
Governor Fayose, who voted at his Afao-Ekiti polling unit at about 3.02 p.m., blamed the poor turnout on the fact that people did not attach much importance to the election, unlike the presidential poll that held two weeks ago.
He expressed dissatisfaction with the reported cases of ballot box snatching in Ikole, Ilejemeje and Egbe-Ekiti.
“Democracy should be moving forward in Nigeria. We do not need violence and other electoral crimes. It is God who crowns people to be what He wants them to be,” he said.
Commenting on the exercise, immediate past governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who voted at his polling unit in Ogilolo Quarter, Isan-Ekiti, said a candidate of the party in Ikere-Ekiti and an agent were attacked.
Fayemi said he reported the matters to the police, but the police said they were yet to get such reports.
Fayose’s deputy, Dr Olusola Kolapo, expressed confidence that the PDP would continue its winning streak in the state.
“We won in all the 16 local governments in the last two elections and we are not expecting anything less this time around,” he opined.
A member of the House of Representatives, Honourable Opeyemi Bamidele, lauded the conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the security arrangements put in place.
“Across the state, the exercise is smooth from reports I have been getting. People in every community have made up their minds on who to vote for. I do not envisage any problem. Turnout was poor due to some factors and one of it is due to the fact that we are not holding governorship election here,” he said.
