Tight Security, Early Arrival of INEC Officials, Massive Turnout of Voters as Guber Election Holds in Ekiti
*EFCC deploys operatives to prevent vote buying
Chuks Okocha in Ado Ekiti
With over 75 percent of voting materials and INEC officials arriving at the polling stations across the local governments of Ekiti state, voting for the next governor of the state have commenced in most of the areas visited by THISDAY .
As a preemptive measure against vote buying, officials of the EFCC were seen at the Police Command in their red reflective jackets.
Reports by Yiaga Africa said that out of the 250 polling units at 8.38 am, that 246 were already open for business, while the remaining four within the Ado Ekiti metropolis were awaiting arrival of INEC officials.
Later at 9.30nam, Yiaga Africa posted from its situation room that at the 250 polling stations earlier visited accreditations and voting had commenced .
Security was tight with vehicular movement partially restricted. There were operatives of security agencies like Policemen, Civil Defence officials seen in most of the polling centres visited.
Samples of voting situations in places visited:
*Voters not coordinated at this polling unit 017 ward 10 Bashiri, Security agents have ordered stoppage of exercise, pending when normalcy will be restored.
*At Ward 13, unit 01, Itanla beside delight hotel, Ilawe road, Ado Ekiti there is confusion as to whether their polling unit has been moved. Prospective voters who claimed that they had been voting there could not see INEC officials or voting materials.
* At the same polling 17 in ward 10 of the Ado local government, gunshots were fired to disperse the agitated crowd due to rowdy situation.
Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has deployed its operatives in Ekiti state to monitor today’s governorship election with a view to addressing the possibility of vote buying.
Some of the operatives and armed police personnel attached to the commission were sighted in a convoy of vehicles within Ado Ekiti, the state capital.
