The candidate of the All Progressives Congress appears to be cruising to victory in the bye election to fill the vacant Kwara House of Representatives seat for Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Isin Federal Constituency.
Collated results from polling booths and wards indicate that the APC candidate, Raheem Olawuyi is ahead of his PDP counterpart, Jimoh Alatise.
The political contest has been largely perceived as one between Information Minister Lai Mohammed (APC) and Senate President Bukola Saraki (PDP).
In Oro Ward 1, the collated result showed that the APC polled 685 votes, while PDP got 481. In Ajase Ward 1, APC got 1,350
and PDP 1145. The PDP candidate also lost his polling unit to his APC rival 80-120 votes.
Results from polling booths also indicated a similar trend.
The by-election was called by the Independent National Electoral Commission following the death of Ms Funke Adedoyin, who was representing the constituency.
Turnout for the election was impressive, according to a correspondent of the NAN.
The conduct was peaceful, hitch-free and orderly in all the voting centres visited.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, voted at PU 006, Ile Onikoyi Ward II, Oro at about 9.45 a.m.
He expressed satisfaction at the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
The minister said this in Oro, Kwara while addressing journalists after casting his ballot.
Mohammed added that the election in Oro and other polling units in the local government was generally peaceful.
He commended INEC for organising a peaceful and hitch-free by-election in the four local government areas of the constituency.
The minister also commended the conduct of the security personnel in maintaining peace and orderliness during the accreditation and voting.
Mohammed, however, added that it was early to start receiving situation reports from the polling booths across the four local governments.
He expressed confidence that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), would emerge victorious at the end.
“I am confident that my party, APC will win the election, I can’t say otherwise. APC will be victorious,” the minister added.
At Ijomu Oro, NAN reports that accreditation and voting started promptly by 8 a.m. with voters in the five polling units in the town on queue for accreditation and voting.
A chieftain of the APC in the town, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin, commended INEC for the prompt commencement of accreditation and voting.
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Adedoyin, a journalist, said the initial low turnout of voter was because they saw the by-election as a minor one, adding that they later turned out in large numbers.
He also expressed optimism that APC would win the by-election.
At Isanlu-Isin in Isin local government, all the 14 voting units were filled with voters eager to be accredited.
A chieftain of APC in the town, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, said he was satisfied with the conduct and turnout of voters.
He said the people turned out in their hundreds to cast their votes because they desired a change in governance in the state.
“The people, without being coerced, came out to vote because of their yearning to effect a change of government in Kwara,” Oyedepo said.
