Violence Breaks Out At Ekiti APC Primary, Ballot Boxes Missing

Violence Breaks Out At Ekiti APC Primary, Ballot Boxes Missing

The governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti state has been marred by violence.
The exercise, which started hours behind schedule, had been going on smoothly until some agents protested that there were plots to manipulate the exercise.

Security personnel struggled with one of the persons carrying a ballot box and in the process the box fell while its content spilled to the ground.

Some aggrieved persons smashed boxes on the ground while policemen and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) managed to secure some boxes.

Some agents got into an argument and in the process, some unknown persons carried ballot boxes. One of the aspirants was alleged to have conspired with the DSS to manipulate the exercise.

Tanko Al-Makura, chairman of the committee organising the election, is currently in a meeting with some stakeholders. None of the aspirants was on seat as of the time this report was filed.

An aspirant was accused of conspiring with operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to ensure that the outcome favours him.

Hours before the exercise commenced, there were reports that party officials were routing for some candidates but Jide Awe, state chairman of the party, dismissed the allegation.

“That allegation is baseless. There is no preferred candidate. People will have their own opinion but I have been the chairman of this party for the past 12 years. I know each and every one of the aspirants. Among those contesting are my exco members. We are not enemies, we are friends. As far as we are concerned, the 33 people are for us and when one of them emerges today after this process, he becomes the candidate of our party,” he told TheCable.

Asked if he was satisfied with the arrangement in place, Awe said: “Very well. We have just started and the situation is ok. My expectation is that the best candidate will emerge and that will be the best aspirant, that will be the candidate of our party. And I equally expect hitch-free primary today.”

Unfortunately, the exercise did not go hitch-free