Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege, yesterday, accused Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, of kitting thugs up in military uniforms to attack APC supporters in the state.
Omo-Agege, who spoke to journalists shortly after casting his vote in company of his wife at Orogun Ward 2, Polling Unit 19, said he could not sleep all through Friday night because he was inundated with reports of attacks on APC supporters by PDP thugs.
But speaking after casting his vote at Eghoma Primary School, Ward 2, Unit 17, Ika North East Council, Okowa, who is the vice presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the PDP would win the election because it is prepared and ready to take over the affairs of Nigeria.
He thanked everyone for peaceful election, saying everything went on smoothly. Omo-Agege equally lauded INEC for a hitch-free election but expressed worry that the PDP planned to hijack the exercise by using thugs.
He said: “From the outset, we knew the PDP, knowing they had no voters on ground, have planned to disrupt the electoral process by sending in thugs, and that has been ongoing almost everywhere. But we are very confident we are going to prevail. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be elected president today, here in Delta. And we are confident we will win majority or the national assembly seats.
“I don’t think the challenge we’ve had is from INEC. INEC has done a good job. The challenge we have expected to have is security. Obviously, we don’t have enough security in most places. There are complaints everywhere.
“In fact, I’ve not slept all through the night, shooting everywhere, attacks on APC people everywhere and we have it on good authority that the governor of the state, Okowa, had sewn military uniform for some people to wear and they’re are wearing it, it’s our hope and expectation that we will get the military authorities to seek them out and arrest them.”
Generally, the presidential and House of Assembly elections were peaceful with a large turnout of voters. Voting started early in most councils, especially in Uvwie, Udu, Warri South, Ughelli South councils because electoral materials, The Guardian gathered, were distributed on Friday evening.
However, in Ughelli North Council, election started around 10 a.m., because the materials could not leave INEC office in time.
EFCC officials were seen at INEC office, seeking explanation why materials had not left the office even at 9 a.m. for Ughelli North, while others for other local councils had been distributed.
The electoral officer in Ughelli North, Osolease Samuel, explained that it was not the fault of INEC, that none of the parties responded on Friday morning when he planned to distribute the material, adding that he could not distribute the materials on his own without the consent of all stakeholders, so as not to breed suspicion.