A confrontation between supporters of the All Progressives Congress and the African Democratic Congress broke out Saturday at Unit 4, Ward 2, Ilawe Ekiti, during the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election, leaving one person hospitalised and briefly disrupting voting activities.
The ADC governorship candidate, Dare Bejide, who cast his ballot at the polling unit, alleged that the trouble began when individuals arrived at the area with cash intended for voters. He specifically accused a prominent APC chieftain of driving into the vicinity in a Toyota Jeep loaded with money earmarked for distribution.
Bejide alleged that the cash was intercepted before it could be shared, prompting the person carrying it to alert a local council chairman, whose arrival at the scene further inflamed tensions between supporters of the two parties.
“One of them brought money here, they brought it in a sack but we intercepted her, she called the council chairman, and the council chairman came here also,” Bejide said. He added that APC members attempted to deflect blame by claiming ADC supporters were also involved in vote-buying, but were unable to name anyone.
The dispute escalated into a physical altercation. Eyewitnesses told The PUNCH that one victim sustained a head injury and was rushed to a nearby hospital. Bejide identified the injured person as one of his aides and blamed security personnel attached to his political opponents for the assault.
Despite the disorder, Bejide praised INEC officials for maintaining an orderly process, noting that accreditation and voting had been proceeding smoothly before the incident. Voting resumed after calm was restored, with security operatives deployed around the area to prevent further unrest.
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