November 16, (THEWILL) – Violence marred the electoral process at Ward 13, Polling Unit 23 in Abeokuta South Local Government Area on Saturday, as suspected thugs believed to be loyal to the All Progressives Congress disrupted voting and chased away agents of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The altercation, which occurred in the morning, saw the thugs forcefully ejecting PDP agents and engaging in heated confrontations with those who resisted. The commotion temporarily disrupted the voting queue, with voters stepping back to observe the chaos before resuming their positions.
A visit by our correspondent to several polling units in Abeokuta revealed that officials of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission were yet to arrive at some locations as of 11:20 am, leaving voters stranded and loitering around the booths.
At a polling unit near Agoba Central Mosque in Abeokuta South, Hon. Afeez Balogun, the APC chairmanship candidate for the local government, intervened to de-escalate tensions.
Balogun urged both parties to maintain peace and allow the election to proceed without further disruption.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Balogun admitted there were delays in the arrival of electoral materials but commended the large turnout of voters.
He expressed confidence in his chances, attributing the high voter turnout to the credibility of his manifesto.
“Despite the natural delays in the arrival of materials, the turnout has been encouraging. People have come out in large numbers to support us because they believe in our vision for Abeokuta South. Our campaign message resonated with them, and I’m confident of victory,” he said.
