Akeredolu, Jegede Give Views On Election Process

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr Eyitayo Jegede, in the ongoing governorship election in Ondo State, have cast their votes, but have different views about the process.

Mr Akeredolu believes that apart from some minor hitches, the election has gone well so far.

He, however accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of working together with soldiers in a town to rig the election in favour of the PDP.

“We have heard reports about one or two places in which I believe something has to be done urgently. That is, few to do with INEC where card readers are not working.

“I think they should deploy people there. I know that they have technical people for each local government and ward. They should be up and doing.

“In Oduaye, our Minister of State has to put a call across to me that in his own unit the card reader did not work.

“When you get to Idanre, I have heard complaints that the soldiers are not doing well in Idanre and that they are cooperating with the PDP, wanting to rig the election.

“We have put a call across to them and had called on the commanding officer to take steps,” he said.

On his part, the candidate of the PDP said that many card readers malfunctioned in his constituency.

Mr Jegede urged voters to insist that they must vote.

“In my own polling unit, very peaceful, but I understand from reports that I have received that in Akure South Local Government, the most populated Local Government, the local government that has the highest electoral strength, the card reader machine has not been function and I have reported to REC and I have informed INEC officials that they should please allow the persons who are on the queue to vote.

“The card reader’s machines are malfunctioning especially where they know we have a lot of strength.

“I urge our people to stay and insist on casting their votes. It is their right and they must vote,” he said.

Accreditation and voting had gone on simultaneously in the election that will produce a successor for Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

INEC says 1,659,186 voters are registered for the election but 378,606 persons did not turn up to collect their Permanent Voter Cards.

Earlier, the PDP, in an early report on the conduct of the election, had alleged that the APC was making attempts to rig the election, insisting that it had seen several irregularities that contravenes the Electoral Act.