Gunshots reportedly fired by suspected thugs in Idanre town, Ondo State, have caused panic among voters, leading many to flee polling units in fear during the ongoing gubernatorial election.
The incident took place at Ofosu village in the Idanre local government area, where gunfire was heard throughout the day, sending voters into hiding. As a result, residents remained indoors to avoid stray bullets, with many abandoning their attempts to vote.
A community leader speaking to Vanguard confirmed that while the identity of the gunmen remains unclear, the shooting began early in the morning, with gunshots being fired intermittently throughout the village. “We don’t know who they are, but they’ve been shooting into the air since morning,” the leader said.
The gubernatorial election, which began on November 16, is set to determine the next governor of Ondo State. However, the election has already been marred by allegations of vote-buying and accusations of bias against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a related development, Agboola Ajayi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, voiced his dissatisfaction with the electoral process after casting his vote at Apoi Ward 11, Unit 004, in Ese-Odo Local Government Area. Ajayi expressed frustration with the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which delayed his accreditation for about 10 minutes.
Ajayi also questioned the credibility of the system, claiming, “The system has been compromised. It is sad that INEC can’t conduct an election properly in one state.” His concerns extended beyond technical issues, as he accused INEC officials, particularly the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Barrister Olatoyin Babalola, of bias. “We have repeatedly said that we don’t trust Barrister Olatoyin Babalola; she can’t be fair,” Ajayi added.
Ajayi’s criticism echoed previous complaints from the PDP about BVAS glitches and the alleged partiality of INEC officials. He also raised concerns about vote-buying, stating that there had been widespread reports of voters receiving money in exchange for their ballots, calling it a “shameful exercise.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were seen on video distributing N3,000 to residents of Ondo State to sway votes for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The video, shared by the African Action Congress (AAC) Oyo State Chairman, Kayode Babayomi, showed the APC chieftains giving money to voters at Ward 3, Units 11 and 12 in Okitipupa Local Government Area. When confronted, the alleged vote-buyers denied the claims and fled the scene.
Further reports revealed that both APC and PDP members were involved in vote-buying activities at polling unit 007, Ajagba Ward 2, Irele Local Government Area, where political agents distributed signed papers to voters as proof of payment after voting.
In the midst of these controversies, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the APC candidate, cast his vote early in the morning at his polling unit.
As the election continues, both parties and INEC face mounting scrutiny over allegations of electoral malpractice in the crucial contest for Ondo State’s governorship.
