#EkitiDecides: EU Ambassador hails peaceful poll, massive turnout of voters

*Police actualizes promise, arrests distributors of money to voters

*No account of violence, where card readers fail replacements made

*All security agents, INEC officials superb, election free, fair, peaceful – Olawale

*By Fayose’s account, security hijacked process, thugs operate freely

*Says “I will still win this election because I’m 80 percent incharge”

*Above average, Ekiti poll is peaceful, no killing – Joe Odumakin

*Says she was sent pictures on phone of acid attack, ballot snatching

*No incident of attack, ballot snatching occurred – TVC reporter

*All observers, reporters, voters say election is peaceful, only governor see AK47 – TVC guest

*Fayemi votes, commends peaceful conduct of voters

*Large turnout in Ado-Ekiti for Governorship election

*General commendations election rate perfect

*Financial inducement started with Fayose posting money to our accounts – Ex-Dep Gov

Against the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) expression of fears that the deployment of policemen in Ekiti State, voters came out in their large numbers to express their franchise in this Saturday governorship election.

The election, just like it happened during the 2015 presidential election, is happening that voters trekked long distances to trace their polling centres to cast their votes.

At Ayegbaju Ward 4, Unit 002, in Oye Local Government, the European Union Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr Ketil Karlsen, hailed the peaceful manner with which the election commenced.

Karlsen said: “As at 9.17am, the election has been peaceful. I have been to five polling units and the process has been credible enough.

“This election is going to be a litmus test to 2019 elections. This election is a precursor to the 2019 elections and its success is very crucial to us.

“The EU have been supporting INEC win voter education, how to encourage people with disabilities among others.

“We have seen large turnout of people and the enthusiasm for people to elect a governor that can represent them well.

“I believe this election will be credible if it ends like this,” he said.

In the meantime, arrests have been made by Police of some persons in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital allegedly distributing money for votes at Ajilosun area of the capital city in front of Jonathan Memorial School.

After the arrest, they were taken away in a police vehicle.

Apart from the arrest, the electoral process has been peaceful at the polling unit.

Voters had gathered at the polling unit early in the day with many more arriving as the day progressed and accreditation and voting began.

Ado-Ekiti has witnessed a large turnout of voters with the elderly and nursing mothers among those seen in queues.

Over 30,000 police officers are in the state for the elections.

Security operatives including NSCDC officials among others are at polling units and checkpoints in Ekiti State maintaining peace and order as the people exercise their civic duties.

Talking to press men as at 1.45pm, a voter at Ward 12 Unit 002 Ado-Ekiti, Mr. Festus Olawale said, “I am very happy that the election today has been so peaceful.  In fact all the card readers work and where some do not work they quickly bring replacements and everybody has been voting.

“I must tell you that I am so much impressed that there is no violence, no account of violence anywhere, the security agents are cooperative and supportive.  If they see gathering of people, they go there and ask questions.  If they are satisfied they leave them and if they are not satisfied they ask the gathering to dismantle.  So well arranged and I am happy.”

President of Women Arise, Mrs Joe Odumakin, said she was at Ikere-Ekiti where the PDP candidate Olusola Eleka voted noting that there were earlier itches but he later was able to vote.

Odumakin, wife of Afenifere/PDP’s Yinka Odumakin, who spoke from Afao, the town of PDP’s Governor Ayodele Fayose, also said she was at Oke Ila where the Labour Party candidate Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal voted.  She said Lawal had itches initially but that he later voted.

She said she had situation of ballot snatching at Ikole, Ado-Ekiti and that in one other place one agent pouring acid on another party agent, an allegation some media people say they still need to crosscheck from an independent professionals as it was shocking that ballot snatching could still take place despite the heavy security.

“By and large in all the local governments we have had no report from our deployed members of any killing.  I can say that above average, we have peaceful election,” Odumakin said.

She described the Ekiti 2018 as good show that June 12 is being respected with free, fair and peaceful election 25 years after, adding that the INEC chairman had done a lot in terms of preparation and that there was no way one could talk of credibility if there was no security and confirmed security was there at Saturday Ekiti election.

One thing that is encouraging is that the INEC chairman said until the last person casts his or her vote, it must not come to an end.

Joe Odumakin confessed that she was, ahead of the election day, alarmed at the heavy deployment of security but testified that the heavy security presence really worked.

Generally, all the people that have spoken especially in Ayegbaju, Oye, Ifaki, Ado-Ekiti and other places in this Saturday’s election have expressed satisfaction that voting was free, fair and peaceful with the security agents doing their jobs normally without hanky-panky.

Those voters said attested to early morning itches in the function of some card readers but also confirmed that those dysfunctional card readers got better and all voters had voted so far.

Also, All Progressives Congress (APC) Candidate in this election in Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, cast his ballot with no hitches.

Fayemi, who came to his Ogilola polling unit in his home town of Isan Ekiti along with his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi at about 10:20am, cast his vote with no hitches about 10 minutes later, though his wife’s Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, had issues just like it was with Professor Kolapo Olusola Eleka, PDP’s candidate but they all eventually voted because the card readers improved.

Speaking with newsmen after casting his vote, Fayemi said he thanked God for the largely peaceful nature of the polls despite reports of skirmishes in a few areas which have since been brought under control, but also added that it was too early to give a final verdict.

“This is the day the Lord has made. The election has been going on smoothly. The turnout has been huge.

“Its organized. Despite reports of skirmishes, violence in other places, its been relatively calm. It’s too early to give a final verdict. You will have to give me time to get more reports from across the state before giving a final verdict,” Fayemi said.

There has been a large turnout of voters at Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, as they trooped out in great numbers to the polling units.

In many parts of Ado-Ekiti, hundreds of voters were seen at the polling units as early as 7:00 am.

Voters including the elderly, pregnant women, nursing mothers, youths among others were at the poll forming a long queue and ready to exercise their civic duties.

Accreditation and voting have since commenced.

In Isan-Ekiti (Ekiti North Senatorial District) Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials arrived as early as past 7:00 am and accreditation and voting commenced at 8:00 am.

There is, however, a heavy presence of security agents at the polling booths.

On financial inducement, a former deputy governor said it was worrisome that politicians did financial inducement but that noted particularly that the inducement started by Govenror Ayodele Fayose posting money to accounts of civil servants from state to local government including himself and his wife.