Ekiti Election: One injured amid APC, ADC supporters’ clash over vote buying

A brief drama unfolded at Unit 4, Ward 2 in Ilawe Ekiti during the ongoing governorship election as supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) clashed verbally over allegations of vote buying.

The situation created tension at the polling unit, drawing the attention of voters and election officials as both groups exchanged accusations.

ADC governorship candidate, Dare Bejide, who cast his vote at the polling centre, alleged that certain politicians had brought an undisclosed sum of money to the area with the intention of distributing it to voters. According to him, the alleged attempt was prevented before the funds could be shared.

Bejide further alleged that an APC chieftain arrived near the polling unit in a Toyota Jeep carrying a large sum of money intended for distribution.

According to him, the incident triggered a confrontation that later escalated into a fight among party supporters.

It was observed that one of the ADC supporters sustained an injury to the head during the fracas and was quickly rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Bejide said: “Now you have the sound, the audio, 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. And in a bid to defend themselves, they kept on saying that some ADC members were also distributing money. But they couldn’t mention anybody. But we know where the money was kept. And in a bid to retrieve the money, she called the council chairman, and that caused a lot of commotion here.

“You can see one of my aides was beaten by the security men they brought. The boy had been rushed to the hospital now.”

He, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the exercise.

“The electoral personnel have been very diligent, and everything is going on very well. You realise that when you came here a few minutes ago, there was pandemonium here, but the moment they saw you with your camera, they ran away,” he said