A polling unit in Kogi
The ongoing governorship elections across the 21 Local Government of
Kogi State including that of Kogi West Senatorial election has been
marred with ballot box snatching, vote buying, beating of journalists
and observers by suspected political thugs.
DAILY POST gathered that, there was disruption of the election process
at Lokoja Club Close to A Division as some fully armed thugs dressed in
Police uniform invaded the polling unit to cart away the ballot box to
an unknown place.
Similar incident played out in Crowder Memorial College, LGEA
Secretariat Open Space, NEPA, LGEA Primary School Ganaja, Kabawa Area
open Space, Adankolo, Open Space Miami Market all in Lokoja as
journalistsd and observers who were on ground to cover the election all
scampered for safety when the armed men arrived the polling units
without resistance by security agencies on ground.
Some journalist observers within this period, suffered the beating of
their lives especially those caught making attempt to cover their
nefarious activities using Camera, and Smart phone.
DAILY POST also gathered that the election across the 21 LGA recorded
massive vote buying as voters were induced with money ranging from N500,
N1,000, N3,000 and N5,000 respectively.
In other areas in Kogi West, aside Lokoja Local Government Area, there
was heavy shooting at Ayetoro ward 1 unit 004 where Dino Melaye voted
this morning.
Less than an hour after he left the voting unit, some hoodlums in two
Hilux vans and a Honda Civic stormed the place, shooting into the air
and targeted the ballot box.
The ballot box was eventually taken away while some boys in the
community chased the vehicles with no success. In the East, there were
shootings and snatching of ballot boxes in some polling units in Dekina
Local Government Area.
Some of the areas affected are CMM Primary School, Eti Aya ward 1
Anyigba, and Yale. Sources said voting were going on well when thugs
shot sporadically and hijacked the ballot boxes and left with them.
It was learnt that voters scampered for safety.
Similar incident was also recorded in other LGA’s such as Ofu, Ankpa,
Olamaboro LGA where it was gathered that phones of journalists and
observers were seized by a particular party agent to prevent them from
recording the election process.
Meanwhile, Gift Omoniwa, Executive Director, Search for Common Ground,
who is an observer escape death by the whiskers. The Executive Director
was on election observation in Ganaja polling unit when hoodlums held
her hostage, and attacked her vehicle.
It took the intervention of good Samaritans and security agencies to rescue her from the hands of her attackers.
According to report available to DAILY POST, Gift Omoniwa, was attacked
when she drove a Siena bus alongside his team to the polling units
without following due process.