Ayo Fayose may achieve an unusual feat to become the first man to serve a second term as Ekiti State Governor since 1999, going by the early returns in the ballot on Saturday.
Fayose casting his vote
He was governor for three and a half years, between 2003 and 2006. He was unable to complete a constitutional four-year tenure because he was impeached.
Three main contenders
Results announced at some polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at press time put Fayose, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ahead of Governor Kayode Fayemi (All Progressives Congress, APC) and Opeyemi Bamidele (Labour Party, LP).
These three are regarded as the main contenders in a field of 18 candidates.
When the result began trickling in at about 3pm, Fayose’s supporters trooped out in jubilation on the streets of Ado-Ekiti.
No governor has served two terms in Ekiti since Nigeria returned to democracy 15 years ago.
Fayose told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he would accept the outcome of the election “whichever way it goes.”
The Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) stipulates that a candidate must win at least 25 per cent of the votes in two-thirds of the local government areas to be declared winner.
This means the winner must get this percentage of the ballot in 11 of the 16 councils in Ekiti.
While Fayose’s loyalists were in buoyant mood at press time, most APC chieftains TheNiche contacted insisted that the votes were still being counted.
Early results
Unofficial results collated at some polling units at press time showed:
• Poling Unit (PU) 010 Iyin II – APC (43 votes), PDP (40), LP (72), PDC (1), APA (1).
• PU 007, Ode Are Ekiti – (APC 49), PDP (212), LP (18), APA (1), PPA (1).
• PU 05, Ilawe Ward 7 – APC (64), PDP (91), LP (18).
• Health Centre Ikere Ekiti point 1, Ward 10 Unit 7 – APC (81), PDP (270), LP (6).
• Health Centre Ikere Ekiti point 2, Ward 10 Unit 8 – APC (81), PDP (252), LP (18).
• Efon Council Ward 11, PU 002 – APC (42), PDP (4), LP (6), NCP (1).
• Ward 05 Unit 11 Okeyemi, Ado-Ekiti – PDP (162), LP (8), APC (57), ACP (1), AD (1).
• PU 001 Iworoko 009, Irepodun/Ifelodun Council – APC (19), PDP (78), LP (10).
Large turnout, peaceful voting
Balloting took off on a good and peaceful note, despite the initial tension that preceded the preparations.
As promised, the INEC brought materials to voting centres in Ado-Ekiti between 6.30am and 7.30am. Accreditation took off at exactly 8am and voting began at 12 noon.
Bamidele was accredited at 11am at Ward 2, Iyin-Ekiti while Fayose did his at 11.45am at Saint Anthony’s Primary School, Afao.
Turnout was heavy in almost all the wards and voting points visited by TheNiche.
At Ward 10, Unit 11, by Barrack Road in Ado-Ekiti, voters confirmed that the materials arrived at 7.30am and accreditation commenced immediately. Same for Unit 7 in the Ward. Everything was done peacefully, they said.
A voter, Oluwakemi Afolabi, expressed optimism that there would be no problem.
In Odo-Ado, popularly known as immigration area, turnout was also massive. At Ado Grammar School – used as a polling area, Unit 8, which comprises one polling unit and two voting points – voters exercised their franchise without disturbance.
One of them, Sekinat Arowolo, said the material arrived at about 7.30am.
The Presiding Officer, Alafe Oluwapo, told TheNiche that voters were cooperative.
At Ward 11, Unit 5, Oke-Bola, voters confirmed that the material arrived at about 6.30am.
Electoral officers were overwhelmed at Ward 4 polling unit, comprising a polling booth and voting points.
A large turnout at Bank Road Ward led to a chaotic accreditation. The uniform of a police officer was ripped in the struggle with voters.
Voting was completed by 3pm in most areas.
Stop, search, from Efon-Alaye to Iyin-Ekiti
However, heavy security mounted by nearly all security agencies stoked tension before, during, and after the ballot.
The state was literally under siege by gun-totting soldiers and other security personnel.
Heading towards Ekiti, immediately after entering Efon-Alaye, the road was barricaded by empty drums that narrowed it to a single lane in a zig-zag formation.
A few kilometres after, in Ilawe-Ekiti, heavily armed soldiers erected a road block, checking incoming and outgoing vehicles. This slowed down the movement of vehicles. It was a pointer to what was to come.
About 100 metres on, there was another road block with armed policemen with a patrol vehicle. They conducted search on everything, including commercial motorcycles.
After leaving Ilawe-Ekiti to the adjourning Erio-Ekiti, two road blocks by armed soldiers within 200 metres was discovered. Nothing passed through until it was checked. Passengers were scrutinised about their mission to Ekiti.
The same security cordon was in neighbouring Aramoko-Ekiti, where there were two road blocks with combat-ready soldiers who did not let go any vehicle until it was searched thoroughly.
Next, in Iyin-Ekiti, an army vehicle on reconnaissance was driven menacingly.
Terrified passengers lamented that the tension was too much. “May God save Ekiti in this election,” said a woman, an indigene.
“All eyes are now on Oye-Ekiti,” a middle-aged man added.
Oye-Ekiti is the base of Fayemi. Ayo Arise, a member of the PDP, is also from the area.
Ado-Ekiti ringed by security armada
The armada of security personnel and equipment at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters in Ado-Ekiti and its environs evoked awe.
Trucks were packed with armed policemen, and the road was busy with different armed men, many of whom dressed in civilian clothes.
They monitored both human and vehicular movements. Some loitered with their arms in a way suggesting that they were eavesdropping on the conversations of passers-by.
Ado-Ekiti itself was like one huge battle field, with all sorts of armed men. Dozens of armed soldiers milled along the road leading to the Governor’s Office and NSCDC personnel moved back and forth.
There were terrifying sounds of siren as security operatives patrolled. But crowds gathered in pockets along the road from Ilawe-Ekiti to Ado-Ekiti to have political discussions.
Obanikoro in show of force
At about 8pm on Thursday, June 19 Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, showed up in Ado-Ekiti amid staccato gun shots by his security details.
He went to the front of Tantalizer restaurant by the roadside around the Governor’s Lodge and had a brief discussion with security personnel before he zoomed off.
The tension was heightened by the final rally of the two top contestants, Fayemi and Fayose.
Fayose’s rally attracted more attention as he was followed by hundreds of motor cycle taxi riders who threw leaflets and shouted insulting words such as “Fayemi ole”, meaning Fayemi thief.
Ado Ekiti’s bubbly night life was paralysed as many business outlets closed by 8pm, except suya sellers who were patronised mostly by security personnel.
Everybody on the road moved with caution as soldiers and Department of State Security (DSS) personnel were everywhere.
The situation got more tense on Friday, June 20 as DSS and armed officials of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) patrolled the roads frequently. Machine guns were stationed on top of the vehicles of the DSS.
Armed soldiers, police and some men in mufti also conducted patrols in this manner.
Security agencies compete for attention
It seemed personnel from the army, police, DSS, NDLEA and NSCDC were contesting for attention or trying to outdo one another in a show of might.
The sound of ordinary vehicles alone sent shivers down the spines of residents.
Fayemi tried to cool the tension in a statewide broadcast, telling people not to fear but come out en-masse to exercise their franchise.
People tried to avoid moving in groups. Journalists did not venture out without their accreditation cards on their necks. Government parastatals declared a self-imposed holiday.
Restaurants prepared small quantities of dishes and opened for short hours in fear of the unknown.
“Anything can happen. So we will not open,” a food vendor said.
However, some residents said if at all there would be trouble, it would not start from Ado-Ekiti but would start in other areas and spread to the city.
Soldiers search hotels, journalists
Armed security men combed many hotels in the state, badging into rooms, including those occupied by journalists.
At about 12 noon, soldiers stormed Fajuyi Street in Ado-Ekiti and arrested about 40 people. No reason was given for their arrest.
Fayemi had earlier raised the alarm that security operatives were harassing and abducting his party leaders.
Though most parts of the state were peaceful when voting started, there were allegations that, prior to election day, some candidates and their parties distributed a large cache of dangerous weapons to thugs, which caused tension.
A PDP stalwart, Lere Olayinka, told TheNiche in a telephone interview: “You won’t imagine the kinds of weapons they distributed to thugs before the election.”
Bamidele expressed satisfaction with the process, especially with the security arrangements. “Bringing soldiers to come and participate only shows the growth of our democracy,” he said.
His Publicity Director, Bolanle Bruce, insisted he would win, saying, “we have worked for this, we presented our manifesto to the people. Ekiti people want an untainted and unblemished person in the mode of Opeyemi Bamidele.”
Fayose also expressed confidence that he would win the election “because we have put everything in the hand of God. And the security men are on the ground to ensure that there will be no rigging or any crisis.”