Dare Bejide, governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Ekiti governorship election, has accused a presidential aide, Makinde Olaoye, of physically assaulting him and severely attacking his driver during voting in Ilawe-Ekiti.
Bejide alleged that the incident occurred at his polling unit in Ward 2, Ilawe-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area, following a dispute over the alleged distribution of money to voters.
According to him, his driver sustained serious injuries during the altercation and was subsequently hospitalized.
“The SA to the president came here and pushed me. He beat my driver to stupor, full of blood. He is in the hospital now. Is it because he is SA to the president?” Bejide alleged.
The ADC candidate further claimed that Olaoye, who he said was not registered at the polling unit, confronted him after he challenged individuals allegedly involved in vote buying.
“He is not from this polling booth. His name is Makinde Olaoye. He came here to push me. I am as old as his father… just because of an election,” Bejide said.
The allegations were made while Bejide addressed a police patrol team that visited the area as voting progressed across the state.
According to the ADC chieftain, tensions began after he repeatedly alerted security operatives to the alleged distribution of cash to voters, but no immediate action was taken.
“I have been calling the police for the past two hours,” he said.
“There was a crisis here. I alerted the police officer here. I told her that they were distributing money, but she said she couldn’t go there. That was the beginning of the problem.”
Bejide stated that voting had initially proceeded peacefully until reports emerged that a woman was allegedly sharing money with voters.
“We started on a very clean slate. I came here even before the officials. And there was no problem until there were allegations that this lady was distributing money,” he said.
“I confronted her. She called her boss. And the council chairman came here and started abusing me.”
He also alleged that the council chairman, whom he claimed was not from the polling unit, intervened in the matter alongside the presidential aide and individuals he described as “fake policemen in uniform.”
“It has been rancour since morning here. I don’t believe people should hang around here after voting. They should go home. But they are distributing money from a certain arena,” Bejide alleged.
Responding to the complaints, the Commissioner of Police leading the patrol team said security personnel were focused on maintaining peace and order throughout the election.
“We are on operational duty and the assignment today is very critical. And that is why you see me as a commissioner of police within your ward and unit,” he said.
The police commissioner advised that formal complaints could be lodged after the conclusion of voting.
“We may not be able to entertain your complaints now. But if there are issues, you can come and either produce everything in writing or lay complaints,” he said.
He added that additional security personnel would be deployed to the polling unit to prevent any breakdown of law and order.
“I am going to drop more manpower for you, so that they deal with any opposition or force of harm that may invade your unit. But for now, the area is calm and we already directed that those not voting should go home,” the police commissioner said.
“The only thing I can do for you, as an institution, is to provide an enabling environment. Every player should play the game according to the rules.”
The allegations come amid growing concerns over the conduct of the election. Earlier, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Wole Oluyede accused security operatives of voter suppression and harassment of party supporters during the exercise.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the All Progressives Congress (APC), Makinde Olaoye, nor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had responded to the allegations.
