For many residents, the 8am-3pm movement restriction order was an opportunity to rest indoors, with youths turning tarred roads in areas like Yemetu, Oniyanrin, Oke-Ado, Agodi, Idi Arere areas of Ibadan to football pitches.
Though the ballot paper contained the logo and name of 12 political parties, Nigerian Tribune observed that only the agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was seen at many polling units visited.
Some of the few who voted said the low turnout could be attributable to reservations of some persons about the election and the fact that the election may have become a one-party show for the ruling APC with the backing out of major opposition parties.
Speaking just after casting his vote at Ward 9, Unit 20, Community Grammar School, Oluyole Estate, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State described the election as free, fair, very peaceful, organised and an assured victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ajimobi accompanied by his wife, Florence, said, “The election is quite free, fair, very peaceful, well organised and I commend the people of this state for continuing with this process that we have started
“I am happy that despite some misunderstandings, which always accompany exercise like this, we have come back to win. In the end, APC will win.”
Speaking on the smooth sail to victory for the APC, outgoing Chairman, Ibadan South West LG, Mr Gbenga Opaleye, said other parties like PDP, SDP and Accord, decided not to participate in the election to avoid an inevitable loss to the APC.
In their various remarks, Oyo Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude and an election observer of the Forum of Civil Societies Organisation, Mr Friday Maduka, lauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise.
In the same vein, the federal lawmaker of the state, Honourable Segun Dokun Odebunmi, described the election as fair and credible.
Speaking in Oko, Surulere LGA of the state, Odebunmi said regardless the unimpressive turnout, what was imperative was that the process was good and would bring government closer to the grassroots.
Meanwhile, the day also saw the shooting of an 18-year old girl, named Kofoworola Abubakar, allegedly by an officer of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), on Adetunji Street, Idi Oro-Ekotedo area of Ibadan.
Kofoworola said to have just concluded her West African Examination Council (WAEC) yesterday (Friday), and a prefect of St Bridges School, Mokola, was said to have been shot in the head by an officer who was after some chaotic youths in the area.
Giving an eyewitness account, one Kafayat said, “Some boys were having altercations among one another and were chasing one another. We then saw Civil Defence officers in their vehicle chasing the boys. We suddenly heard gunshot and Kofoworola who was running away from the scene was hit in the head.
“The Civil Defence officers were asking the boys to stop before one of the shot and killed the girl in front of a chemist where she went to buy drugs. They scared everyone threatening to shoot before they picked up the girl’s body. There were a nearby polling unit and the polling officials left immediately after the incident occurred.”
In a telephone conversation, Public Relations Officer, Oyo Command of the NSCDC, Mr Oluwole Olusegun rejected reports that an NSCDC officer shot Kofoworola.
He said his men were within the area to forestall crisis following a reliable information they got that hoodlums were planning to invade the area.
Oluwole fingered hoodlums in the area as responsible for the killing.
“It is unfortunate that the people did not find out the truth about the incident before accusing NSCDC officer of killing Kofoworola,” Oluwole said.
He, however, noted that the Nigerian Police, Oyo State Command had begun an investigation into the matter.
In his reaction, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Oyo Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu said the police had arrested the suspect, assuring of an investigation into the incident.
“The suspect is in police custody. The CP, Abiodun Odude, has directed the State Investigation and Intelligence Department, Iyaganku to carry out a diligent investigation into the incident,” Ajisebutu said.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Ajimobi, has condemned the resurgence of the cult war in Idi-Oro and Ayeye areas of Ibadan North West Local Government, as responsible for the killing of Kofoworola.
A statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the Governor, Mr Bolaji Tunji, said that the governor was pained by the disturbing news, especially coming on the heels of the successful conduct of the state’s first local government election in 11 years.
While commiserating with the family of the victim, he assures that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
“From the intelligence reports at my disposal, the perpetrators of this heinous and condemnable crime were the recalcitrant cultists engaging in supremacy battle in Idi Oro and Ayeye areas of Ibadan who are yet to embrace our peace initiative.
“That they chose to disturb the peace of the neighbourhood on the day Oyo had a very peaceful LG election across the state is regrettable. I was told that elections took place successfully in the polling booth closest to the scene of the incident without any hitch before the cultists struck.
“I want to use this opportunity to condole with the family of the victim for the irredeemable loss. Let me again warn that those bent on scuttling the peace that we have enthroned across the state in the last seven years will leave to regret their action.
“I have directed the security agents to ensure that they fish out the perpetrators of the crime and ensure that they are brought to justice. I want to appeal to the good people of Oyo State to join hands with the government to sustain our hard earned peace,” Ajimobi said.
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