Ondo Re-run update: House of Reps member fingered in Igbo-Egunrin ballot snatch

A member of the House of Representative from the Ondo South Senatorial Zone, Agboola Ajayi, has been fingered as the leader of a group that successfully snatched a ballot box and prevented polling materials from getting to Igbo-Egunrin and adjoining polling centres, reports say.

 
Elections are still on in Ilaje Constituency II where the position declared vacant after the Court of Appeal removed Mr. Otito Atikase on the grounds of electoral malpractices. Kunle Odidi of the Labour Party had filed a suit way back in 2007 against the declaration of Atikase as the elected representative. The success of his petition resulted in the re-rerun which is now holding in the riverine area of Ondo State.

 
There are reports of widespread violence in Ilejemeje where 20,000 thousand votes are at stake. Reports say PDP thugs waylaid materials going into this location at the Ayede, Ogun State end, thereby preventing materials from getting to the polling centres in Ilejemeje.   Two Policemen are still to be accounted for as at press time.

Also, there are reports of violence in some parts of Igbokoda.

 
It seems those fomenting violence are not interested in voters turn out as they seem set to discourage voters.

 
Integrity Ondo monitors report that voting is going on in locations such as College Road, Larada, Ago Duron, Okunnuwa among others in Igbokoda while known PDP members led by a woman identified as Aya Akins led the hijack of materials at the Primary School in Kurugbene.

 
Integrity Ondo monitors also report that while voting proceeded smoothly around the Court Area of Igbokoda, the story around Holy Trinity almost went sour as some known PDP members also attempted though unsuccessfully to snatch ballot materials.

 
In Mahin Ward 4, the attempt by some notable PDP stalwarts to hijack ballot materials was allegedly thwarted by Labour Party agents who resisited the heist before law enforcement agent came in to arrest the situation. At least polling in one ward has been cancelled as at the time of filing this report in Igbokoda the headquarters of Ilaje Local government Area.

 
Hon. Agboola, reports say, physically led some heavily armed men waylaid INEC officials moving materials to Igbo-Egunrin for today's polls.

 
Efforts to snatch ballot materials in such locations as Zion Pepe, Atijere and a place called Ilemeje was also rebuffed by vigilant electorates.

 
It will be recalled that a similar situation occurred at the re-run election held in Akoko not too long ago when Senator Gbenga Ogunniya led PDP members and thugs to snatch ballot materials.

 
Chief Isaac Kekemeke, a PDP big wig had in events before the actual election been arrested for offences some say are connected to gun-running. As at the time of this report, several others who have been arrested are still being held by the police.