Large Crowds Gather in Ado Ekiti as Governorship Election Gets Underway

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There was an impressive turnout of voters at some polling units in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Saturday as residents trooped out early to participate in the governorship election.

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Our correspondent reports that this was despite a brief delay caused by a malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

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At Ward 4, Units 1 and 2, located at Saint Michael Primary School, Ijigbo, many voters, including elderly residents, were already on the ground ahead of the scheduled commencement of voting at 8:30 a.m., reflecting enthusiasm for the electoral exercise.

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However, voting had yet to begin as of 8:45 a.m. after the BVAS deployed to the polling units failed to function upon arrival of election officials.

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The glitch was eventually rectified, and the first voter at Unit 2 cast his ballot at exactly 8:49 a.m., paving the way for accreditation and voting to proceed.

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The Presiding Officer, Mutiat Aliyu, confirmed the temporary hitch, saying, “It initially did not come up, but it is working now.”

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The election features candidates from multiple political parties, including incumbent Biodun Oyebanji (APC), Oluwole Oluyede (PDP), Oluwadare Bejide (ADC), Opeyemi Falegan (Accord Party), Oyebanji Olajuyin (Labour Party), Blessing Abegunde (NNPP), Bidemi Awogbemi (APP), Ayodeji Ojo (ADP).

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Others include Samuel Akande (AAC), Olaniyi Ayodele (PRP), Victor Adetunji (Zenith Labour Party), Olu Omotoso (Action Alliance), Joseph Anifowose (Allied Peoples Movement), and Ayodele Osinkolu (Young Progressive Party).

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Political observers are closely monitoring the exercise as a key test of voter sentiment in the state.

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