Despite the challenges and the reports of irregularities, voting continues across the state as Ondodecides the next administration in a keenly contested election.
Ondo State – Reports from Irele Local Government Area in Ondo State have exposed widespread allegations of vote buying involving major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the ongoing governorship election.
Reports showed various incidents where party agents were observed engaging in vote-buying activities.
At Polling Unit 007 (PU007), Ajagba Ward 2, Irele LGA, party agents were seen distributing signed papers to voters. According to witnesses, these papers act as tickets, which voters will exchange for cash after casting their votes. However, the exact sums promised were not disclosed by the voters.
Meanwhile, APC governorship candidate Lucky Aiyedatiwa arrived early at his polling station, Igbo Ward 4 in Obenla, Ilaje Local Government Area, to cast his vote. Aiyedatiwa, seeking re-election, completed the voting process by 8:48 a.m., accompanied by his security detail. His early participation marks a significant event in the highly anticipated election.
Amid the voting process, some voters raised concerns about the malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines. At Polling Unit 004, Apoi Ward 2, Kiribo, in Ese-Odo LGA, Omotayo Akinlami, a frustrated voter, expressed his dissatisfaction with the faulty equipment.
“The electronic system they brought is not working. I suggest we switch to manual accreditation so we can vote and leave,” Akinlami told newsmen. He criticized the inefficiency, stating, “It takes 30 minutes to capture just one person. With so many voters waiting, this approach is unrealistic.”
Akinlami emphasized that manual accreditation had previously worked well and argued for its adoption. “The BVAS machines are being used against us here, which we will not tolerate,” he added. “Manual accreditation is faster and more reliable. Spending 30 minutes per person will not work. We have too many voters waiting.”
Despite the challenges and the reports of irregularities, voting continues across the state as Ondo decides the next administration in a keenly contested election.
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