The Delta state local government elections was marred by violence in some parts of the state, which left one person dead and three others injured.
The office of the state Independent Electoral Commission in the Ughelli North Local Government Area secretariat was also burnt by armed thugs.
The exercise was marred by alleged electoral irregularities in most council areas where the poll took place.
It was gathered that the electoral officer in charge of the council, Mr. Isaac Ajekoko, and other staff of the commission, including party agents, narrowly escaped being lynched and security operatives watched helplessly as thugs set the building on fire.
It was gathered that a DSIEC adhoc staff was reportedly killed by the thugs at Onitsha-Ugbo in the Aniocha North Council Area of the state.
But the state police command denied the report, saying the deceased slumped and died during the election.
Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise in Warri, Udu, Uvwie, Sapele, Ughelli North and South, Ethiope East and West, and Isoko areas of the state, observed that voting in the areas was not devoid of mayhem.
In the Ughelli attack, a journalist with Urhobo Voice newspaper, Grandball Choice, and some others sustained injuries.
More than two persons were attacked and hospitalised in Ughelli South after thugs attacked them in Ogbe-Ijoh, headquarters of Warri South-West. The immediate younger brother to Chief Ayiri Emami, Thomas, was also beaten.
Thomas, an All Progressives Congress chieftain and a former leader of the Warri South-West legislative arm, told our correspondent that his phones and money were stolen by the thugs at Ogbe-Ijoh where he had gone to monitor the distribution of electoral materials.
An APC chieftain in Oghara, Ethiope West Council Area, Loveace Ukutaire, was also attacked.
As of 1pm, election materials had not arrived in the polling booths at Uvwie, Ughelli South and Udu council areas.
In Udu council area, voters and officials of opposition parties refused to allow the distribution of electoral materials after they reportedly discovered that the council’s returning officer had allegedly absconded with the original result sheets.
However, the exercise was relatively peaceful in Warri-North, Warri-South and some parts of Warri South-West council areas, particularly in Abigborodo, where a former governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, and his wife, voted.
The exercise was also reportedly peaceful in Asaba and its environs but there was voter apathy in most polling units.
Speaking after voting, the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, admitted that there were some skirmishes in some parts of the state, but expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the poll.
The governor, who voted at Ward 3, Owa-Alero, Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state, commended the DSIEC for the exercise whose conduct was faulted by members of his party.
Okowa said, “We are confident that we are working with our people and they are in partnership with us. But more importantly, we have to obey the rules. The process is good so far.
”I got accredited and voted immediately and I can see other people in the queue waiting to be accredited and vote so that they can leave. This is unlike what we used to have in the past. I have had a few complaints across the state and I hope they are being resolved.’’
Source: ( Punch Newspaper)
