Dare Bejide, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Ekiti governorship election, has alleged vote buying and assault at his polling unit.
Bejide spoke while addressing police officers at Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, in Ekiti west LGA of the state.
The police team was on patrol as the vote progressed across the state.
The ADC chieftain said he had repeatedly alerted security operatives to the alleged distribution of money to voters before the situation escalated.
“I have been calling the police for the past two hours,” he said.
“There was a crisis here. I alerted the police officer here. I told her that they were distributing money, but she said she couldn’t go there. That was the beginning of the problem.”
He noted that voting had commenced peacefully in his polling unit until allegations emerged that a woman was distributing money to voters.
“We started on a very clean slate. I came here even before the officials. And there was no problem until there were allegations that this lady was distributing money,” he said.
“I confronted her. She called her boss. And the council chairman came here and started abusing me.”
Bejide claimed that the council chairman, whom he said was not from the polling unit, intervened in the matter, alongside a presidential aide, who allegedly came with individuals he described as “fake policemen in uniform”.
“It has been rancour since morning here. I don’t believe people should hang around here after voting. They should go home. But they are distributing money from a certain arena,” Bejide claimed.
The politician further alleged that the presidential aide, whom he identified as Makinde Olaoye, physically assaulted him and attacked his driver.
“The SA to the president came here and pushed me. He beat my driver to stupor, full of blood. He is in the hospital now. Is it because he is SA to the president?” Bejide queried.
“He is not from this polling booth. His name is Makinde Olaoye. He came here to push me. I am as old as his father… just because of an election.”
Responding, the police commissioner leading the patrol team said officers were focused on maintaining security and ensuring a peaceful voting process.
“We are on operational duty and the assignment today is very critical. And that is why you see me as a commissioner of police within your ward and unit,” he said.
The commissioner said complaints arising from the election could be formally submitted after the exercise.
“We may not be able to entertain your complaints now. But if there are issues, you can come and either produce everything in writing or lay complaints,” he said.
He added that additional personnel would be deployed in the polling unit to prevent breakdown of law and order.
“I am going to drop more manpower for you, so that they deal with any opposition or force of harm that may invade your unit. But for now, the area is calm and we already directed that those not voting should go home,” the police commissioner said.
“The only thing I can do for you, as an institution, is to provide an enabling environment. Every player should play the game according to the rules.
The development follows an earlier allegation by Wole Oluyede, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who accused security operatives of suppressing voters and harassing party supporters in the ongoing election.
As of the time of filing this report, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are yet to react to the allegations.
