Reports from most parts of the country revealed that killings, ballot box snatching and the militarisation of the process marred the gubernatorial elections held yesterday.
It was noticeable that the electorate stayed away from polling units yesterday in states like Lagos, Katsina, Ogun, Abuja, Edo, Imo, Katsina, Delta, Adamawa etc. Their reason for staying away is strictly because of the violence nd harrasment associated with the gubernatorial election.
In Rivers State, the exercise witnessed low turnout of voters while there were reported cases of ballot box snatching.
The cry of violence was heard in Ekiti, Imo,Enugu, Akwa Ibom, but the news that got many talking and crying is that of a member of the House of Representatives, representing Akinyele/Lagelu Federal Constituency of Oyo State, Temitope Olatoye, popularly called Sugar, who was killed in the violence that characterised the elections.
Olatoye died at the Intensive Care Unit of the University College Hospital, Ibadan after he was shot in the head by suspected political thugs in Lalupon area of the state just after casting his vote.He was quickly rushed to the Accident and Emergency ward of the UCH from where doctors on duty moved him to the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. All efforts to try to save his life was futile as he was pronounced dead around 7:45pm.
The attack was said to be carried out by suspected thugs of a rival politician in the constituency. This information was disclosed by one of the aides of late Olatoye who begged for annoymity.
Olatoye won the 2015 election on the platform of the APC and lost re-election two weeks ago on the platform of the Action Democratic Party.
Before his death, he was representing Lagelu/Akinyele federal constituency.