Governor Seyi Makinde on Saturday described the governorship election and the House of Assembly elections as peaceful, but expressed worry over low turnout.
The governor who voted at Ward 11, Unit 01, Abayomi Iwo-road in Ibadan North East Local Government at about 10:48am expressed displeasure at the turnout of voters across the state.
Governor Makinde declared that voters in the state should not allow themselves to be scared and intimidated not to come out in good numbers to exercise their civic rights.
Expressing confidence that the people of the state would vote for him again, Gov Makinde said “In my own unit here, everything is going peacefully. The INEC officials came early.
“You yourselves can see that people are out here exercising their civic rights, and from the security aspect, it has been so far so good.
READ ALSO: INEC had no intention to conduct free, fair election in Lagos – Kenneth Okonkwo
Let me also use this opportunity to tell people to come out. You know they were saying there will be security challenges, but, as you can see, there are no security challenges. Our people are here voting peacefully. I believe our people will vote Omituntun 2.0.”
The All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin voted at Ward 5, Polling Unit 2, St John Anglican School, Idi-Ose, in Ona-Ara Local government, Ibadan.
Speaking after casting his vote. Senator Folarin said the low turnout of voters was as a result of intimidation by some political hoodlums in Ibadan in the past few days.
Senator Folarin stressed that as at the time of casting his vote, there are indications that some elements in the state are planning to disrupt electoral processes in the state during collation.
READ ALSO: Guber election: Obasa votes, assures APC victory, commend security agencies
“The Security report reaching me is not good, it started yesterday when suspected PMS boys went around shooting in some neighborhood in Ibadan to discourage people from voting. I’m hearing that the whole idea is for them to scuttle the process during collation so that there can be a lot of ballot snatching but we shall see.”
Senator Folarin however lauded efforts of the INEC saying it has improved in its activities as witnessed during the February 25 polls.
Commending security agencies towards ensuring free, fair and credible election, the APC governorship candidate said the people of Oyo state should be free to decide who will be their Governor without intimidation.
The Accord governorship candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu while speaking after casting his vote at the Adelabu compound polling unit expressed worry about the low turnout of voters in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo state.
Chief Adelabu declared that if the election is free and fair, he remained a better alternative for the people of Oyo state.