9th April, 2011
Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN had the upper hand in the two polling booths located inside African Grammar School, Oke Sokori, Abeokuta, in front of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s family house where the former president and his daughter, Sen. Iyabo voted this afternoon. ACN had 118 votes in the polling booth where Obj voted while PDP had 64 votes. PPN had just 5 votes. In the second polling booth, ACN had 194 to PDP’s 85.
As at 5.10pm today, counting of votes was concluded in all the polling booths visited in the Abeokuta metroppolis. Officials of INEC were observed collating the results which were announced to everyone present.
Accreditation of voters started on a cautious note in Abeokuta around 8.45am in some polling units. INEC officials arrived early today in most of the polling units compared to what happened last Saturday.
Visits to polling units in Oke Ilewo, Panseke, Odegbami Way, Olorunsogo; Ibara, Obantoko, Ita Sokori, Ago_Oba, Adatan, Adigbe,Ita Oshin, Ita Eko, palace of Olubara, MKO Abiola Way, Ita Iyalode,Lafenwa and others showed that accreditation started with a low turn out of voters. Later, many voters started trooping out due to mobilisation embarked upon by party agents around 11am. By 11.48 am, most of the polling booths visited were bristling with many voters.
Sen. Ibikunle Amosun told PMNEWS at Ita Iyalode that he had to send out his agents to mobilise the people to the polling booths when he discovered that they did not come out. He said most voters claimed that they did not know that election will take place today. Former governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba also spoke with PMNEWS at his residence on Housing Way, Abeokuta and accused INEC of not providing enough materials in areas bordering both sides of the Abeokuta expressway where CAN has its supporters. He called on INEC to make amends in subsequent elections.
Security was tight in Abeokuta with soldiers and mobile policemen mounting roadblocks in strategic parts of the town. The exercise was largely peacefully except for a report by Amosun that someone tried to snatch the ballot box in his ward but was arrested.
By Lanre babalola/abeokuta