By: Ade Adeleke
Few days to Ondo state governorship election slated for October 10, an election monitoring group, YIAGA AFRICA Watching the Vote has identified at least six Local Government Areas in Ondo State as hot zones during the poll.
The group said it identified the six flashpoints after an independent research and investigations it conducted across the state ahead of the polls.
The monitoring group in its first Pre-election observation report released yesterday in Akure by its media officer, Mr Moshood Isah listed the flashpoints as Owo, Idanre, Akure South, Ifedore, Odigbo and Akoko South East Local Government Areas of the state.
The report which stated that voters’ inducement were reported in the six local government areas, also raised concern that the forthcoming election may become a replay of undesirable event, given the attitude of some political gladiators in the state.
It reads: “While INEC has shown commitment and readiness for the election, key contenders and political actors have advanced narratives that forewarn of breakdown of law and order including alleged threats to deploy state and non-state instruments of force and armed violence.
“This could affect the efficiency and credibility of electoral management processes if not curtailed.
“Specific cases of voter inducement were reported in Akoko South West, Akure South, Akoko South-East, Akoko North West, Ifedore and Odigbo LGAs. “Akoko South-West, Akure South, Idanre, Owo, Akoko South-East and Ese-Odo,” it added.
The group warned politicians against violence, just as it urged security agencies to be alive to their responsibility before and during the election.