Ondo bye-election: Militants hijack materials Militants yesterday seized election materials earmarked for Arugbo Ward in the Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State in the bye-election for Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency. The militants demanded compensation from government for them to release the materials. The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Kingsley Kuku, said he suspected a foul play. He alleged that the seizure was aimed at frustrating the election in the ward. Candidates in the election were: Kolade Akinjo of Labour Party (LP); Adewale Omojuwa of All Progressives Congress (APC), and Adewale Kutute of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) . The seat became vacant following the death of Mr. Raphael Nomiye, on November 23, 2013. Turn out by voters was quite high especially in In Ese-Odo Local Government Area but the militants made election there impossible. Their grievance was that they were marginalised in the amnesty programme for repentant militants by the Federal authorities. The materials were seized on the waterways. Efforts by security operatives to retrieve the materials proved abortive. Kuku, a PDP chieftain said of the seizure: “ we have reported to INEC. I spoke to the State INEC administration officers, Babakorede. I complained to him. I have also spoken to the security agencies, particularly one Lieutenant T.K, who is in charge of security in the riverine area. “I also confronted a navy commandant that I heard that a young man stopped the materials from being distributed in that ward.” The Jonathan’s aide also alleged that he had been informed by some of his party agents that election materials were relocated from one of the PDP strongholds, New Jerusalem to Arugbo. The State Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Akin Orebiyi said the commission had appealed in vain to the youths to cooperate. Orebiyi said election for that ward might be cancelled if the youths refused to release the materials. The State commissioner for Youths Development and Sports, Mr. Bekekimi Idiehare, alleged that some people who presented fake voter cards were being accredited by INEC despite objections from the LP.
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 11:44:34 +0000
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