Transport Challenges May Mar Governorship Election in Parts of Ondo State

Security personnel including policemen and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps are finding it difficult to commute to their different destinations in the riverine region of Ese Odo and Ilaje local government areas of Ondo State to carry out assigned duties in the governorship election.

These are the two local government areas that have conferred on Ondo State the distinction of belonging to states serviced by the Niger Delta Development Commission.

As a result of the paucity in transportation, commercial motorcycle operators hiked fares. A journey between Ajagba and Kiribo, which is the town of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) candidate Agboola Ajayi for instance, which normally cost between N100 and 150, attracted N300.

This development may hinder or discourage many voters from casting a ballot for their preferred governorship candidate on Saturday.

At Ajagba in Irele local government area,  which is the hub for communities Agadagba, Arogbo, Kiribo and Igbekedo, voters and security personnel who had set out as early 5:00am to beat the restriction in movement were still stranded about one after, while making frantic efforts to reach their destination.

Ajagba and the surrounding communities have been cut off from the national electricity power grid for over 15 years. This factor has influenced the resolve of the voting population to go all out to vote for a governorship candidate they believe can end the years of darkness.

Nseobong Okon-Ekong