The Independent National Electoral Commission has suspended Saturday’s bye-election to fill the vacant seat of Ekiti East Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly.
INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Tella Adeniran, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, said the commission suspended the poll following the violence unleashed on voters and officials of the electoral body by political thugs.
Adeniran explained that the election was peaceful until arm-wielding hoodlums stormed two polling units of ward 009 unit 008 and 009 and started shooting sporadically.
This development, the INEC boss, said led to the death of three voters while a police officer, Corps member and one of its staff sustained varying degrees of injuries.
He said: “The Ekiti-East State Constituency I bye-election which started at 8.30 a.m today witnessed 100 percent opening of polls at 8.30 a.m. The exercise commenced on a good note in a peaceful and orderly manner. However, at about 10.00 am, there were reported cases of violence: in two Polling Units of Ward 09 (Obadore IV); Polling Unit 8 (Baba Egbe/Odouro /Odoule) and Polling Unit 9 (Beside Baba Egbe/Odouru/Odoule I), Polling Unit 07 (Aro street/Aro) of Ward 07 (Obadore lI).
“In PU 07, Ward 07, three voters were shot dead while a youth corps member, a police woman and an INEC staff sustained gunshot wounds. Under this circumstance, the safety of electoral officials, security personnel and election materials as well as the credibility of the process cannot be guaranteed. The State Commissioner of Police is fully aware of the situation”.
According to him, It is unfortunate that in spite of the effort of the commission in giving Nigerians free, fair, credible and inclusive election, some people appear to be unprepared for an improved electoral process.
He said the situation was such that, conducive environment no longer exists for further electoral activity at the polling units and the collation centers.
The INEC REC declared that in view of the development, the commission had suspended the election forthwith.
