Bye-election:Thugs hijack ballot box in Ondo

Voting was disrupted on Saturday in the Akoko North-East and Akoko North-West Federal Constituency by-election at Unit 5, Ward 13 in Oyinmo, Ikare-Akoko, when suspected political thugs snatched the ballot box.

Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the attack by the hoodlums caused panic with many voters taking to their heels.

An eyewitness, who did not want his name published, said that the attack occurred just before noon after not less than 63 people had cast their votes.

He explained that the hoodlums caused some commotion and while security personnel at the polling unit were trying to restore peace and order, one of them snatched the ballot box and fled the scene.

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The eyewitness said that though the hoodlums made away with the ballot box, the result sheet, BVAS machine and other materials were not taken.

NAN reports that 407 voters were registered at the polling unit for the election.

Meanwhile, INEC has lauded the turnout of voters in the by-election for Akoko North-East and Akoko North-West Federal constituency in Ondo State.

Prof. Kunle Ajayi, National Commissioner supervising Osun, Ogun and Ondo State, gave the commendation in an interview with newsmen at Okeagbe in Akoko North-West LGA, after monitoring the election.

“From what we have observed since morning, the election is going on peacefully, and the turnout is impressive, no violence, no vote buying anywhere.

“So, we have not recorded any terrible incident since the start of the election and by the grace of God, everything will end peacefully.

“Everywhere we have been to, there was no report of challenges with the BVAS machine or cases of it malfunctioning,” he said.

Commenting on the incident of ballot box snatching at Unit 5, Ward 13, Oyinmo, Ikare-Akoko, the national commissioner said that the situation had been restored to normalcy.

“Is normal that miscreants will remain miscreants, they attempted to disturb the election there but the police overpowered them and we have restored everything to order and no other incident apart from that. (NAN)