Violence, ballot box snatching mar Ondo LG elections

Violence, ballot box snatching, stuffing and other underhand dealings have trailed local government elections conducted by the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) on Saturday.

At Ward 4, Unit 19, in Akure South LGA, voters protested against ballot box snatching by thugs.

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Ondo LG poll marred by violence, ballot box snatching

Some of the voters told journalists that some people stormed Ward 4, Unit 19, opposite Omolere Nursery and Primary School, offering them money to vote for a political party.

Mrs. Bisi Aderemi, Women Leader of SDP in the ward, alleged that armed hoodlums stormed the polling unit on 10 motorbikes with three persons on each and snatched the ballot box and unused ballot paper booklets and zoomed off.

Joseph Olorunfemi Kehinde, Social Democratic Party (SDP) councillorship candidate in the ward, alleged that APC thugs were raiding polling units and forcefully thumb-printing ballot papers and stuffing ballot boxes in some polling units.

Meanwhile, our correspondent reports that elections were peaceful in some LGAs.

In Owo LGA, Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu who voted at Ijebu Owo Ward 5, Unit 6, described the exercise as a huge success, saying the turnout was impressive.

The state Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, told journalists in Idanre LGA that there was no violence in Idanre town.

Adetimehin charged members of his party to conduct themselves the same way during the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.