Voter turnout in Ondo State’s local government elections on Saturday was notably low, with many polling units reporting minimal participation throughout the day.
The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) confirmed that 13 political parties had candidates contesting, but the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), withdrew from the election on Wednesday, citing doubts about the credibility of the electoral process.
Polling stations opened at 8 am, but by mid-morning, many electoral officers were still waiting for voters.
For instance, at Sacred Heart Primary School in Akure, fewer than 20 voters had cast their ballots by 11:30 am.
Similar low turnout was observed across various polling units, including Ward 4, Unit 27, and Unit 7, with very few voters showing up.
Despite the low turnout, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, who voted at Polling Unit 7 in Ward 4, Akure South Local Government Area, praised the peaceful and smooth conduct of the election.
Adeniyan noted that while voter turnout could have been better, the overall process had been encouraging and incident-free.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, who voted in Ugbo Ward 4 in Ilaje Local Government Area, commended the ODIEC for ensuring a smooth election and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening local government autonomy and ensuring effective governance at the grassroots level.
