Voting was abruptly suspended at a polling unit in Ejigbo, Osun State, on Saturday after violence broke out shortly after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, cast his ballot.
The disturbance occurred at Unit 003, Iroyin Ayo Open Space, Ward 004, where Salaam had voted alongside his wife. The outbreak triggered panic, sending voters, electoral officials, observers, and journalists away from the scene.
As the situation deteriorated, Salaam was escorted from the location by his security personnel.
The disruption also forced Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials to leave the polling unit, effectively stopping the voting exercise. Voters who had gathered to participate in the governorship election were left without clarity on when, or whether, voting would resume.
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A voter identified as Adewale said he arrived early but could not cast his ballot after the disturbance broke out.
“I came here early because I wanted to vote and return home. But after the crisis started, everybody ran away. Now the INEC officials and security men have left. We don’t know what will happen next,” he said.
Another voter, who declined to give his name, said the disruption had deprived several residents of the opportunity to vote.
“We have been here since morning. We want to vote, but nobody is conducting the election anymore. The security people who came to restore order have also left,” the voter said.
Personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) later arrived at the polling location in an effort to stabilise the situation.
The security intervention, however, did not lead to an immediate resumption of voting. The personnel eventually left while tension at the location persisted.
The incident has left the fate of voters at the unit uncertain. Meanwhile some stayed around the area with the hope of receiving information from electoral authorities.
The disruption occurred as voting proceeded across Osun State in the governorship election, with ecurity arrangements in place at polling locations throughout the state.
Salaam’s whisking from the scene underscores the volatility that can emerge at politically sensitive polling centres when disorder breaks out during voting.
Voters at Unit 003 were left unable to cast their ballots after the outbreak of violence forced electoral officials to withdraw from the polling station.
As of the time of filing the report, voting at the affected polling unit had not resumed, while residents awaited further instructions on the next step.
