Heavy Security Presence Pervaded Ondo Gov Election |The Source

By Ayodele Oni

The just concluded Governorship election in Ondo state won the award of the most policed election in the history of Nigeria.

Investigations revealed that virtually all arms of security network in Nigeria such as Directorate of State Service, (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, (NPF), Customs, Army, Navy, Air force, EFCC and NSCDC among others were involved in security arrangement during the election.

There was no reported case of security personnel brutalizing voters or preventing them from excercising their rights throughout the election period.

Apart from one or two spots within Akure metropolis where incidents of shooting by suspected thugs were recorded, no other serious security breach was recorded during the election.

From our investigations, it was gathered that NCDC contributed 7000 officers, police, 36,000; army 10,000; road safety,10,000; custom, 5,000; navy, 5,000; DSS, 10,000; EFCC, 10,000.

A Deputy Inspector General of Police, two Assistant Inspectors General and Eleven Commissioners of Police were among the team of policemen deployed for the election.

Apart from this, heavy and sophisticated security equipment were moved to the state in an apparent bid to nip, in the bud, any breakdown of law and order.

Stakeholders were of the view that the heavy security presence during the poll was as a result of the gale of violence in all parts of the state that preceded the election which was beyond control of the state police command.

According to opinions, heavy security presence was also possible because Ondo was the only state where election took place, which facilitated security deployment from virtually all formations in the country.

Director of YIAGA Africa, one of the Civil Societies Groups that monitored the election, Mrs Aisha Abdullahi, confirmed the heavy presence during the election but said the officers were civil and friendly to voters.

Incumbent Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, candidate of the APC, won the election with a majority margin of over 90,000 votes, beating Eyitayo Jegede to a second place. He won in 15 out of 18 LGAs to secure a second term in office.

Neither Jegede, nor the incumbent Deputy Governor/ candidate of the ZLP, Agboola Ajayi, has congratulated Akeredolu since his decisive victory.

Jegede, alleging widespread  vote-buying and violence, said he was still studying the result. But President Muhammadu Buhari, while congratulating Akeredolu described his victory as one good turn, deserving another, saying that he served his state well during his first term.