APC clears all 16 chairmanship seats in Ekiti local elections

Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been declared winners of all 16 Chairmanship seats in the local government elections conducted in Ekiti State on Saturday.

A total of 14 political parties participated in the election, including the APC and its main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Jide Aladejana, has however denied widespread allegations that there was sporadic shooting which led to the death of one Dotun Kosedake at Okitiko polling unit in Araromi ward, Ikere during the election.

Aladejana said preliminary investigations had revealed that no one was shot at the polling unit and that the violence that erupted in the area, which he ascribed to as a cult clash, was not within the precinct of the polling unit.

Declaring the results on Sunday as presented by the Returning Officers, the SIEC boss said the APC candidate in Ado Local Government, Mrs Motunde Fajuyi polled a total of 27,578 votes to defeat 13 other candidates in the election; while in Ido/Osi, Mr Adeola Adedimeji Lawrence of the APC polled 15,879 to emerge winner.

Other winners for the various districts include: In Ekiti East, Ogunjobi Esan polled 11, 946; Efon, Mr Adetunji Bode Stephen scored 9,356; in Ekiti Southwest, Hon Amire Kola Kolade had polled 11,397 votes; in Ilejemeje, Akinola Oladunjoye won with 5,477 votes; while in Moba, Mr Aborisade Michael got 13,028 votes.

Other results are: Ijero: Hon Ropo Ige (16,744 );  Ikere: Mr Oluwafemi Ayodele (13,244); Gbonyin: Hon Ayodele Fadumiye (13,320); Emure: Hon Paul Awopetu (11,392); Ise/Orun: Mr Mr Alabi Olanrewaju (12,400 ); Ekiti West: Kareem Agunbiade (21,874); Ikole: Mr Sola Olominu (21,228); Oye: Mr. Foluso James Ojo (20,352); and in Irepodun/Ifelodun: Mr Shina Ogunleye won with 22,896 votes.

The only PDP candidate with a good showing was in Ekiti East local government, where the candidate received 4,033 votes to emerge as the runner up.

Speaking about the election, Justice Aladejana said “nobody was killed at ward 7 unit 006 in Ikere on Saturday. Nobody was shot, though we heard that someone came violently and made away with unused ballot papers. Even in the whole unit, there were just 280 registered voters and this does not in any way vitiate the outcome.”

Describing the election as peaceful, Aladejana commended the security architecture in the state for ensuring that no one was intimidated during the poll.