The Coalition of domestic accredited observers for Ondo governorship election have expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election, describing the just concluded election as relatively free, fair and credible.
The observer groups stated this in Akure, Ondo state capital during a press conference commended the people of the state for their display of maturity and maintaining peace during the conduct of the election.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Prince Stafford Bisong, said the group noted report of vote-buying and intimidation of both voters in some areas within the state during the poll.
Bisong also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security personnel deployed for the election across the state.
He however, expressed concern over reports of some violence, vote-buying and intimidation of both voters and civil society domestic observers during the election.
He said “our observers reported that both sensitive and non sensitive materials arrived early as 7:30am in approximately 95 percent of the polling units across the state making it a great improvement from the Edo state election. Great work in logistics by INEC.
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“In as much as we give kudos to security personnel deployed across the polling units for the efficient response in curbing violent situations, we however frown at their compromise in working with party agents to perpetrate vote-buying.
“This is not acceptable and it is practise that must be stopped for the benefit of outgrowing democracy. We implore Nigerian police and other security to be more professional in their conduct during election duties.
“We appreciate INEC for conducting one of the freest election in Ondo state. We adjudged the election to be free and credible.
“The INEC has declared Governor Rotimi Akeredolu as the winner of the last Saturday election for a second term of four years”
Akeredolu polled 292, 830 votes to defeat his closest rival, Eyitayo Jegede of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 195,791.
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