Ondo

Rain distupts election in Ondo

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…Destroys polling booths in Owo
..High turn out at Ikare Akoko
The governorship election Saturday,was greeted with heavy rainfall which disrupted the ongoing election process in Ijebu area of Owo Local Government of Ondo State.

It was gathered that the rain destroyed some election materials with the voting booths in some polling thoroughly soaked, while staff of INEC took refuge and struggled to secure the materials.

The voters also scampered to various directions to take shelter from the rain.

It was reported that voting later commenced with security personnel keeping vigil at all polling units around the area.

At polling unit 002 in Ward 5, Ijebu-Owo area, it was observed that voters wore their face masks, while INEC staff also made hand sanitizers and soap available for use.

Speaking with newsmen, Opeyemi Amadu, Presiding Officer, Ijebu 2 Unit 006 Ward 5, said that accreditation and voting would go on simultaneously.

She explained that the use of facemasks was compulsory while any voter showing symptoms of COVID-19, like incessant coughing, would be politely asked to leave the queue.

Opeyemi, who also said that branded face masks were prohibited, declared the voting open by 8:35 a.m,

It was reported that voters were checked with a thermometer and given hand sanitizers while social distancing was observed.

The rain had stopped around 8:12 a.m while the first vote at that polling was cast by 8:51 a.m.

……High turnout of voters in Ikare-Akoko
However, inspire of the rains in Owo,there was a high turnout of voters in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of the Akoko North-East Local Government area of Ondo State for the governorship election in the state in the early hours of Saturday.

Many polling units visited as at 7:30am recorded a high turnout of voters who lined up in orderly queues to perform their civic duty.

In the Ikare township, all shops were locked, while security agencies were at various places, including the polling centres, while military personnel manned some major roads leading to Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, scrutinising vehicles.

Also Nigeria Police personnel, as well as FRSC and NSCDC officials mounted some road blocks in parts of the metropolis.

Mr Ademola Iyiola, a Presiding Officer at Unit 002, Orun Ward 1, told NAN that accreditation and voting in the election commenced in his Polling Unit at exactly 8:30am, with a fairly large turnout of voters.

“We started at exactly 8:30am and we followed the INEC guidelines religiously before anybody was allowed to vote.

“We first checked their temperature and sanitised their hands, before checking their cards with the card reader, after which they are accredited and voting is conducted simultaneously,” he said.

A community leader in Ikare, Mr Jimoh Bawa, said that the prompt and orderly conduct of voters was an early indication that the election would be peaceful.

“As you can see, our people are coming out to exercise their franchise, despite the early morning shower. The people are willingly coming out early to vote and I believe, if anything, at end of the day, their votes will certainly count,” Bawa said.

Ondo State has a population of 3.5 million, with 1.47 million registered voters expected to vote in 3,009 polling units in 18 local government councils.

The governorship election is being contested by 17 political parties.

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