James Sowole in Akure
The internal crisis that rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial primary in Ondo North District took toll on both the APC and the Action Alliance (AA) allegedly supported by the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
The crisis led to the defeat of the APC candidate in many polling units in Ondo North District.
At Imeri Ward 9 Ose Local Government, the PDP candidate scored 503 while the APC and the AA candidates scored 314 and 279 respectively.
At Isinido Ipe Akoko Unit 2, the AA candidate scored 32 votes while APC scored 78 votes as PDP candidate scored 158 to beat both AA and APC.
Also at Ijebu 1 Ward 4 Unit 008, AA scored 71 while PDP polled 75 and APC 31.
The situation also affected adversely the performances of the APC presidential candidate in many units apart from Owo Local Government that was delivered to APC in most units of the local government.
Akeredolu lost the senatorial poll in his unit to AA while the APC won in both Presidential and House of Representatives polls.
The governor along with his wife Betty voted in Unit 6 Ward 5, Owo Local Government area.
In the presidential election, the APC scored 147 votes while PDP scored 30 votes while in the senatorial poll, AA candidate, Dr Tunji Abayomi scored 125 votes compared to 33 votes scored by APC and 30 votes of the PDP.
However, the governor won the unit for APC in the House of Representatives candidate, Timehin Adelegbe scoring 130 votes while the PDP candidate polled 23 votes and AA candidate 14 votes.
In Akure South, the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Sunday Abegunde lost his unit marginally to the PDP in the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives polls.
In the presidential election, APC scored 77 votes while PDP had 79 votes.
Also in the unit, APC scored 66 votes as against the 69 scored by PDP just as PDP scored 74 in the senatorial poll and APC 70 votes.
As at the time of filling this report, the opposition PDP was leading in all the categories in both Akure South and Akure North Local Government going by results in units released so far.
Meanwhile, voting started on a peaceful note and early in most parts of Ondo State as electorate trooped out in large numbers to exercise their rights in the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Reports monitored in various parts of the state showed that voting materials got to units early enough except in some few places at Owo Town.
When THISDAY got to Methodist Primary School, which is the collation centre for Ward 5, ad-hoc workers mostly corps members were still waiting to be moved to units as at 8:30 am.
As at 9:30 am, voters were waiting anxiously at Emure Ile in Owo Local Government area.
The anxiety of the people was noticed as they rushes towards the bus that conveying journalists that came to cover the exercise thinking it was the bus that brought the materials.
However, voting started as early as 8:00am in some other units in the town. The Governor of Ondo State, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu voted at 9:42am at Unit 2 Ijebu Owo Ward 5.
Akeredolu expressed optimism that his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) would emerge victorious at the end of the day
According to the governor, election in any democracy is a thing that can be either way, there are so many ways it could go but whichever way it goes, we have to accept, but am sure APC will win.
He further noted that the problems that led to the postponement of election last week by INEC had been surmounted.
Meanwhile, there was large turnout of voters in Akure North Local Government area. At Igoba/Isinigbo Ward 5, electorate trooped out to cast their votes.
In Akure, the state capital, there was also a large turn out in some units visited by THISDAY. Security operatives were seen at various junctions to ensure compliance with restriction of movement.In areas visited, vote buying was not visible but some alleged money had been shared the previous night and early on Saturday. Also, there were no much incident of non functioning card readers in most places visited.
