The Ekiti State governorship election holds today June 21. The election will be conducted in the 16 local government areas of the state.
According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, 18 political parties are fielding candidates in the election.
Analysts say the election is basically between the candidates of three parties – the incumbent governor, Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress, [APC], a former governor of the state, Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party, [PDP], and a member of the House of Representatives, Opeyemi Bamidele of the Labour Party, [LP].
In all, 29 domestic and international observers have been accredited by INEC to observe the election. The international observers include the UNDP/DGD, EU Delegation, British High Commission, United States Mission to Nigeria, Canadian High commission, Embassies of Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany and France.
About 732,106 voters are expected to vote in the election. The gender distribution shows that females are 371, 419 (51%) and males 360, 747 (49%).
There are 2,195 polling units, [PUs], and 2, 803 voting points, [VPs] in the South-west state.
Ekiti State has three senatorial districts, six federal constituencies, and 177 registration areas spreading across the 16 LGAs.
Among the councils, Ado-Ekiti, which is the state capital, has the largest number of voters with 134,141, 297 polling units and 455 voting points while Ilejemeje has the least number of registered voters with only 11,796 and 91 polling units and 91 voting points.
About 7,941 members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, have been engaged as ad-hoc staff to man the booths.
In taking decision today on whom to cast their votes for, the voters may likely be influenced by incumbency factor and performance of the APC candidate, the grassroots mobilizing skills of the PDP candidate and the courage of the LP flag bearer.
Since Nigeria’s return of civil rule in 1999, no governor of the state has been elected for a second term. This might affect the chances of the incumbent.
The corruption case hanging on the neck of the PDP candidate can also be a deciding factor.
Clearly, ethnicity is not an issue here as Ekiti State is one homogenous ethnic state.
PREMIUM TIMES’ Festus Owete and Nicholas Ibekwe are in Ekiti State and are bringing you live updates on the election.
Live updates
15.50
Ward 05 Unit 11 Okeyemi in Ado, counting concluded. PDP 162, LP 8, APC 57, ACP 1, AD 1
15.34
Vote counting about to commence at Health Centre unit 2 Afao, Ikere Ekiti.
15.21
Counting ends in PU001 Iworoko 009, Irepodun/Ifelodun LG. APC: 19, PDP: 78, LP: 10.
15.21
197 people voted & 224 unused in Osan ward, PU008, Moba LG.
15.19
At Ward 008 in Okeyemi area of Ado, there are two voting points. One of the points has concluded voting and counting is in progress with anxious voters watching.
15.10
At Ward 009 in Ijoko area, 226 out of 500 registered voters have voted. More voters are still being expected according to INEC officials.
15.03
Voting ends 2.35 p.m. at PU008, Odole ward, Ekiti South West LG .
15.01
At Jonathan Memorial Pry school, voting is still ongoing at all eight points.
14.59
At Ward 05 in Ijigbo area of Ado-Ekiti, voting is in progress. 225 voters out of 586 registered voters have voted.
14.54
Voting concluded at Health Centre Unit 1 and 2 Ikere. Voters have stayed back at the polling units, waiting for counting to commence.
14.45
Voting finished at St. Mary sch PU010, Oloja, at 2.30pm. Voting ended at 2.36 p.m. @ PU001, Iworoko 09, Iropedun/Ifelodun LG.
14.32
PDP candidate Ayo Fayose just voted at Afao ward Unit 001 as voting winds up in the town.
13.42
Julius Toba Jegede, Media aide of Labour Pary candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele, told Premium Times that the rumour that Mr Bamidele has stepped down from the election is completely false and should be disregarded by his supporters. He said Mr Bamidele voted around 1pm and will be addressing the media soon.
13.28
Heavily armed security men arrive Fayose's town, Afao, in large numbers. But voting in Afao has been peaceful with voters conducting themselves in orderly manner.
13.27
55 out of 56 accredited voters queue to vote @Aafin Orun PU002 ward 10, Ise/Orun LG.
13.25
Jadesola Ajibola of Inspiration FM, Oyetunji Ojo of OSBC, Akin Ogunsola of OSBC and Aremu Awolola of OSBC were arrested at Ifaki Ekiti by over 50 mobile policemen led by the Mopol Commander, Patrick. They are being escorted to the boundry of Ekiti and Osun state. The mopol commander said the journalists had no business in Ekiti.
12.50
Voting has commenced in all polling units in Afao.
12.50
INEC officials counting voters at Afao ward unit 001 and 002
12.47
Voting begins in Ekiti. At a polling unit in front of Delight Hotel along Ilawe Road, Ado Ekiti, the queue is in order as the voters wait anxioisly to vote.
12.39
Three persons were arrested in PU008, 013,014, Ijigbo ward 4 for distributing money.
12.28
Voters in unit 1 Afao(Ayo Fayose's Unit) are set to commence voting proper.
12.24
281 voters accredited @PU004, ward 09, Gbonyin LG. They are ready for voting proper.
12.20
None of the 18 governorship candidates is a woman, and only 6 deputy governorship candidates are women.
12.12
Ado-Ekiti ( the state capital) has the highest number of registered voters:134,141. Next is Irepodun/Ifelodun LG: 54,430. #Ekitidecides.
11.59
Fact: Ekiti has 16 local governments, 177 wards, 2,195 polling units, and 732,166 registered voters. #Ekitidecides.
11.51
Fact: 51 per cent of Ekiti's 732,166 registered voters are females.
11.50
Security forces complained of poor treatment that they had to sleep in primary schools in Oye LG.
11.48
Accreditation has been concluded in some centres. Voting will soon commence.
11.35
To win #Ekitidecides, a candidate must have simple majority votes and at least 25% votes in 2/3 of 16 local governments (approximately 11 local governments).
11.24
There is ongoing fierce argument on a supposed polling unit in Oyamokore farmstead in Erijiyan LGA. Some claim nobody lives there any longer. Some claim they always vote here.
11.23
In Ekiti South West LG, Ilawe ward, PU007, 011,010 have 292, 369 &182 registered voters respectively
10.58
Only voters with permanent voters cards will be allowed to vote, INEC says. AIT quotes INEC as saying over 400,000 registered voters collected their permanent cards.
10.57
#Ekitidecides, Number of registered voters @PU008, Iyin 2 ward is 231.
10.50
In most of the polling units visited, only LP, APC and PDP agents are found. Accord Party seem to be missing except at the polling unit in Ward 3, Unit 13, Olokomeji, Ado Ekiti.
10.46
Niyi Adebayo, Former Governor of Ekiti State, has put the total turnout of voters in his constituency, Iyin, at 70 percent. He also said that the supply of material has been very satisfactory. He said the process of accreditation cannot be used to judge the election process until voting proper starts.
10.40
At the polling unit in Jonathan Memorial Pry School, Ajilosun Ado-Ekiti, the process is orderly.
10.38
At the polling unit in Mary Mount Catholic Pry School, Oke-Ila it is rowdy here. The security agents are trying to maintain peace.
10.18
Akoidu Michael, APC agent at Ward 20 Iyin is complaining that some voters names were missing in the master list (Permanent Voters Card register)despite appearing on the valid registration list pasted on the wall. So accreditation is put on hold.
10.13
In Ward 07 Polling Unit Area 002 in Oke-Ila area, the accreditation began early but it is slow. There 1239 registered voterrs here. It will be a miracle if accreditation in concluded within the stipulated time.
10.07
Large voters turnout at Ward 20 Unit 1 in Adelabola Compound , Iyin. Number of register voters is 370. Accreditation still going on.
09.58
At Ward 9 Unit 003 Dallimore, there are 1,051 registered voters. Over 500 have been accedited. The exercise according to INEC adhoc staff started exactly 8.05am.
09.50
At Ward 09 Unit 33 polling unit, Dallimore area of Ado-Ekiti, the turn out is also impressive. There are 700 registered voters and many of them are complaining that the INEC adhoc staff are too slow and might not accredit all of them before 12.30pm. Here a man Abiodun Solomon Adebayo is complaining about his voting card but the INEC staff cannot help him.
09.11
Massive turn out of voters across Ado-Ekiti. The security in the state capital is tight. Some secyrity details are stationed in particular areas while some are roving.
09.01
In Ado Ekiti, the turn out for accreditation is impressive. At 09 Ado Dallimore Polling Unit the accreditation began exactly 8am. There are seven INEC adhoc staff. They said 976 registered to vote. The situation is the same in front of Ekiti State Univesity Teaching Hospital along Adebbayo Street.
08.59
Voters already queueing up for accreditation at Ward 3 Unit 1 Idemo, Ado Ekiti.
08.10
08.07
Voters agitation at Ekiti State Government College, Ado Ekiti (Ward 13 Unit 18) as the school security men lock voters and election officials outside. According to one of the security men, he has 'order from above' not to allow voters inside the school compound.
07.24
Nicholas
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