As the voting process ends in the Ondo governorship election and results are being expected, residents of the state and millions across the country and beyond are waiting keenly for the outcome of the poll. 

The election which began early across the 18 local government areas of the state saw hundreds of residents trooping out in their numbers to exercise their franchise.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were, as expected, among the earlier risers on the day. As early as 5 am, Channels Television spotted them setting up in polling units littered in the state.

It did not take long before the election commenced and baring a few places where materials arrived a bit late, voting started as scheduled – past 8 am in many polling units.

Aside from the arrest of a suspected vote-buyer in Akure, the state capital, Saturday’s election was largely peaceful across Ondo.

Ahead of the governorship election, INEC cleared 18 candidates but analysts say it is a two-horse race between Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart Ajayi Agboola.

‘Peaceful’ Exercise

Aiyedatiwa who was among the first to cast their ballots in the election, hailed the large turnout of residents.

The governor – contesting his first poll since taking over from the late Rotimi Akeredolu – hailed the conduct of the exercise which he described as peaceful.

He voted in Polling Unit 5, Ugbo Ward, 4 Obenla community in Ilaje Local Government Area of the state at around 8:50 am. Aiyedatiwa expressed confidence in winning the exercise.

“With what we have done for the last 10 months, the populace, the voters, like I said, they know who they want,” the governor said.

“I believe I’m in an advantaged position to win this election because of the work that I have done in the last 10 months since I assumed office as the governor of the state. We traversed the entire 18 local governments; and visited communities all across.”

“In my community, it is peaceful and turnout is very, very encouraging. And I want to believe that the same situation would be at other locations across the state. It’s peaceful here,” he said.

Agboola Alleges Compromise

But Agboola, who like Aiyedatiwa, served as Akeredolu’s deputy, differed with the governor and criticised INEC which he said is “compromised”.

The PDP candidate alleged that the slow voting process was part of the commission’s strategies to compromise the election.

“The system is not perfect, things are not working,” Agboola said after voting. “It took them more than 10 minutes to capture me who is the candidate of the PDP here. All of us are here. You can see the drama. There are a lot of complaints here and there,” the PDP candidate said.

“If INEC cannot successfully organise an election in one state, then you must know that we are running into anarchy.

“I think it’s deliberate on the part of INEC and the part of the REC and we have said severally that we don’t trust Barr. Oluwatoyin Babalola (REC); that this woman cannot be fair.

“The system is compromised and I have had a series of calls today. People are complaining about vote buying and the BVAS is not working. It is a very shameful exercise and I think Nigerians should just call on the chairman of the electoral commission Prof Mahmood Yakubu. If you cannot do the job, please just honourably resign. He should resign. This is embarrassing. It [election] is totally compromised.”

LP’s Olorunfemi Hails Exercise

For Labour Party (LP)’s Ayo Olorunfemi, the peaceful conduct of the election is a good omen.

The LP flagbearer voted in Unit 8, Ward 5, Ajowa-Akoko, Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo State and sued for peace, asking residents of the Sunshine State to accept the outcome of the exercise.

“So far so good, it is seamless,” he said.

According to him, only God can give power as he called for peace.

“My message is that power belongs to God and He giveth it to whoever He wants and therefore, everybody should conduct themselves in a very peaceful manner and at the end of the day whoever wins the election should be congratulated.”

READ ALSO: Police Restrict Unauthorised Movement Of Persons In Collation Centres

Police Tighten Security

To ensure the successful collation of results for the election, police authorities have tightened security at the INEC Collation Centre in the Alagbaka area of Akure.

Police operatives were spotted surveilling the INEC premises where the final results of the election would be collated and announced. They also restricted movements around the collation centre.

Already, INEC said results uploads on its Result Viewing Portal have reached advanced levels.