Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed during the voting exercise at polling unit 019, Ita Aro Square, Àga/Ijimu ward in Ikorodu, Lagos State. This polling unit is notable as it was where Funke Akindele, the PDP’s deputy governorship candidate, cast her vote at 12:16 PM. The conflict erupted when an assistant presiding officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the closure of the voting exercise at 3:30 PM. The APC agent, dissatisfied with this decision, insisted that voting should continue. In response, a PDP agent, opposing the continuation of voting, directed verbal attacks at the APC representative. As of the time of this report, both parties remained engaged in a heated verbal exchange.
Earlier reports indicated that Akindele’s arrival at the polling unit incited violent reactions from the crowd, who demanded that the PDP candidate join the queue. Despite the tumultuous atmosphere, Akindele managed to navigate through the crowd and cast her vote shortly after noon. Following this, she was quickly escorted by two aides to her QX56 Infinity SUV, which bore masked license plates. Although the popular actress had initially indicated a desire to speak with a correspondent, she was compelled to leave swiftly due to mounting pressure from aggressive individuals seeking giveaway funds.
The voting exercise was further complicated by the late arrival of INEC officials and disputes among voters, who expressed frustration over the perceived sluggishness of the election process. In an interview with The, Ikorodu Council leader Adebowale Ajayi attributed the disorderly behavior of voters to the delayed arrival of INEC officials. He stated, “INEC came late. Because of that, people, due to the pressure and because they have stayed for so long, were not happy.”
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