By Samuel Ogude(Warri)
The much awaited day has come finally today, being the 18th March, 2023. This, after the election day was postponed from the 11th March by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) on the ground that, among other reasons, it needed time to reconfigure the BIVAS in preparations for the election after it has been used for Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The contending parties notably the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which featured Governor Okowa projected candidate, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori as the Governor candidate while Senator Ovie Omo-Agege as Governorship candidate on the platform of All Progressives congress (APC).
The electorate were ready to cast their vote while different agencies involved in the election were ready and came out to perform their duties. The pen pushers (Journalists) across the state and beyond came out as usual to monitor the elections.
Different polling units and wards manned by the different INEC officials were on their duty to attend to the electorate. Then, the elections started in earnest. At Osubi, in Okpe Local Government Area of the state the Governorship candidate on the platform of the PDP, Hon. Oborevwori cast his vote. He was seen relaxed as he moved to the ward 3 unit 32 Osubi Secondary School and queued like others, which according to observers, a sign of humility.
Sheriff’s voting was characteristic as he has to speak to Journalists who were waiting eagerly to ask questions on his views about the election. He said, the election was peaceful saying, the turn -up was encouraging just as he said, he was sure,he would emerge victorious because they did vigorous campaign during the periods of campaign- moving from one ward to another in different communities to sensitize the people on the need to vote for PDP adding they succeeded in going to the entire 270 wards in the state.
He said:”I am sure of victory because we worked for it, we were able to campaign in the 270 wards that make up Delta state”. According to him, the arrival of the material was early saying, going by way his units and ward were calm and people were voting normally, the much needed peace in the country would be achieved.
This early arrival of election materials to the different poling units and wards in the state especially in Warri South Local Governed Area was corroborated by the Director, INEC liaison office in Warri South Local Government Area of the state, Asate Mercy. According to her, since yesterday, 17th March, all the materials for the elections have been moved to the different polling units and wards adding, there was no problem at all.
However, reports from other parts of the state were different. According our Correspondents, violence marred the elections in Evwerni, in Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state as BIVAS machines were destroyed by thugs suspected to be working for a former Delta Lawmaker and a Serving Commissioner. This action disrupted the elections process virtually in all the polling units in the area.
According to the reports, the team of Journalists monitoring the elections were prevented from entering the community by the rampaging thugs allegedly loyal to a serving State Commissioner. Reports had that , the security personnel sent to the community have compromised as they allegedly supervised the disruption of the process. Some of the Corp members and other electoral officials were attacked by the thugs while some sustained injuries, about three BIVAS machines were smashed.
It should be not be forgotten that Evwerni is the country home of the Founding Leader of APC in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, whom some PDP leaders had allegedly boasted that they will not allow voting to take place, and even with Security Personnel on ground, they would carry their act which they actually did.
Against this background, the Governorship candidate on the platform of APC Senator Ovie -Omo Agege did not fail to express his mind over the situation of things. Although, he expressed joy to have been able to vote, he was not happy with the reports of attacks in Evwreni saying, it is the same reports he received from Ughelli South, at Oteri, Gbaramatu-Oporoza in Warri South West as mischief went on these areas last night.
According to him, the PDP allegedly entered the contest with a predetermination to ensure that attacks were launched in polling units across the state, most especially in Delta Central to destroy the votes.
He said:”Since morning, we have received reports of attacks in Evwreni. We have received the same in Ughelli South, in Oteri, Ughelli and we understand that some mischief have been going on since last night in Gbaramatu-Oporoza in Warri South West”.
According to Agege, they ensured that security personnel responded to the issue but they were over whelmed by the situation on ground. He said, the violence was allegedly caused by PDP as they have no votes to protect hence they were bent on attacking. Senator Agege is however optimist that at the end of the day, despite these violence, he would be declared as the winner of the day.
He said:” Here we are out trying to protect our zone, trying to protect our votes. We have voted to protect, they don’t have votes to protect so, they will just attack. Be that as it may, we are very confident that at the end of the day, we will be declared the next Governor of Delta State”.
Senator Agege who expressed happiness for casting his vote said, it is the moment everybody has been waiting for.
He said:” Well, I am excited to have had the privilege and opportunity to have cast my vote today. For so long, we have been appealing, going to all nooks and crannies of the state to market our agenda. The die is cast, today is the day. I have cast my vote”.
Still on the violence, a prominent personality in Ethiope West, Wilson Omene’s house was reportedly burn down. The details of those involved and reasons for this nefarious act are sketchy at the time of this report. So far, at the time of filling this report, the results of different units and wards were coming out in trickles At the end of the day, the winner would eventually emerge.