Ondo Governor ELection: Mimiko Wins In His Ward, Oke Detained By Soldiers

Ondo Governor ELection: Mimiko Wins In His Ward, Oke Detained By Soldiers

•Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (middle), his wife, Olukemi; and Deputy Chairman, Labour Party, Chief Dele Akinyele (second left) in the queue for their accreditation for the governorship election at Ward 7 , Ago-Itunu, in Ondo town
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Voters across Ondo, Ondo State trooped to the streets on Saturday after Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s victory in his ward.

Results from majority of polling units across wards in Ondo West and East local government areas favoured the governor.

The total results in Unit 20, Ward 7 with two polling points, which is the governor’s ward, showed thus:Labour Party(348), Action Congress of Nigeria(16) and the Peoples Democratic Party(11).

Immediately the results were announced, the elated voters, comprising youths and the elderly, milled around Mona Hospital, said to belong to the governor, to have him address them.

He came out and waved at the crowd at 6:35pm as they danced, sang and congratulated one another.

Election in Ondo recorded a large turnout of voters who left their homes early to partake in the poll.

As early as 8am, voters were seen on Brigadier Ademulegun Way trooping into polling units within the two LGAs.

In Unit 2, Ward 11, Unit 26, Ward 7 and Unit 34 in Ondo West monitored early by our correspondent, voters arrived on time for the accreditation, which ended late in some polling units.

Before voting ended, a man who claimed to be Bosun was apprehended by men of the Yaba Police Division in Unit 23, Ward 7, Ondo West for allegedly impersonating a legitimate voter.

Bosun, who was denied by members of the community, said he mistakenly washed his voter card after his name was not found on the register.

Also, another man who identified himself as Samuel Oni was arrested for allegedly bribing voters with money at Ward 7, Akure Garage, Ondo State.

Oni, who claimed to be a member of the opposition party in the state, told reporters that he was given the money to distribute among the units to assist security personnel.

A police source in the Yaba Police Division,where he was taken to, told our correspondent that he had been handed over to the state Criminal Investigation Department.

The source who refused to be named said the police only played operational roles in such electoral matter.

Earlier, Mimiko expressed worry over late delivery of electoral materials in some places in Akure.

He spoke after his accreditation.

Mimiko said, “The only worry that I have so far is the fact that in some places in Akure metropolis, from where election materials were distributed around the state, there has been lateness in election materials getting to some places.”

He later added that apart from his earlier complaint, he did not receive any other negative report.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s National Commissioner for the South-West, Prof. Lai Olurode, said though there were few challenges,they would not mar the success of the election.