Tension erupted on Saturday at Unit 4, Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, during the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election, as supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, reportedly clashed over allegations of vote buying.
The confrontation, which disrupted the voting process briefly, reportedly left one ADC supporter injured, who was later rushed to a medical facility for treatment after sustaining a head injury during the altercation.
The ADC governorship candidate, Dare Bejide, who voted at the polling unit, accused political actors of attempting to compromise the electoral process through cash distribution allegedly brought into the area.
He alleged that money intended for voters was brought into the vicinity, triggering a confrontation when his supporters attempted to intervene and stop the alleged activity.
Bejide further claimed that a chieftain of the APC arrived at the scene in a Toyota Jeep, allegedly with cash meant for distribution to voters, a situation he said escalated into chaos.
According to him, the situation degenerated after efforts to intercept the alleged cash led to a heated exchange involving party supporters and security operatives.
“One of my aides was attacked by security men brought in by them, and he has been taken to the hospital,” Bejide alleged, describing the incident as a violent disruption of the voting process.
He also said the alleged presence of cash at the polling unit was brought to the attention of security authorities, adding that the matter sparked panic and disorder within the area.
Despite the unrest, Bejide commended the conduct of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, noting that the election had proceeded smoothly prior to the outbreak of violence.
“The electoral personnel have been very diligent, and everything was going on very well before the pandemonium started,” he said.
He added that the situation had calmed after security operatives were redeployed to the area, allowing voting activities to continue under tight security presence, though tension remained high in the polling unit.
