A suspected political thug identified as “Big Hammer” and allegedly loyal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reportedly disrupted voting at the polling unit of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Najeem Salam, in Ejigbo Local Government Area of Osun State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday as voters across the state turned out to participate in the Osun State governorship election, amid heightened political tension and concerns over possible violence.
According to reports, the alleged attack caused panic at the polling unit, forcing voters, election agents and other residents to flee in different directions as they attempted to escape the unfolding situation.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters showed people running away from the polling area, with some reportedly seeking safety away from the scene.
One of the persons captured in the video narrated how they were forced to scale a fence in an attempt to escape the alleged attack.
“We had to jump the fence to escape, this is very uncalled for,” the victim said.
Another video obtained by the publication showed a vehicle reportedly damaged during the incident, while residents expressed anger and concern over the level of violence and destruction allegedly associated with the electoral process.
Some residents were heard questioning why an election designed to allow citizens to freely choose their preferred leaders had allegedly degenerated into violence, fear and destruction.
The reported incident at Salam’s polling unit is particularly significant because the ADC candidate is regarded as one of the notable contenders in the governorship race, while political activities across Osun have remained tense ahead of the conclusion of voting and the commencement of collation.
The development has also added another layer to a series of allegations and counter-allegations surrounding the conduct of the election, particularly claims of intimidation, political interference and the alleged deployment of security personnel to areas considered politically sensitive.
Earlier, Governor Ademola Adeleke raised an alarm over what he described as an alleged plot to disrupt the election shortly after casting his ballot at Unit 009, Ward 2, in Ede North Local Government Area.
Adeleke specifically alleged that a police officer identified as “London” had been brought from Port Harcourt to Osun to allegedly interfere with the electoral process.
“It’s going well and I hope it continues like that but I got some information for my people in Osun State. There is one Police officer called London from Port Harcourt, they brought him to come and disorganise the vote, so I am calling on the Inspector General of Police and all the security agents to watch out and be on the look out,” Adeleke said.
The governor further alleged that the officer was brought into Osun by the APC as part of an alleged plan to interfere with the election, particularly in Ede, his hometown.
“The APC in Osun brought him to come and destroy my town, the Police Commissioner election, the DIG election, should take note and all my people in Ede should watch out and I have it on authority of information that they dont want to go through the normal process of from units to wards and to local government, they just want to take it all the way to the collation centre and that is not acceptable, they must follow the rules and that’s why I am alerting my people to watch out and I know by the special grace of God that I am winning this election,” the governor alleged.
However, the allegations by the governor and the reported disruption at the ADC candidate’s polling unit remain claims and should be investigated by the relevant authorities to establish the facts and identify those responsible for any acts of violence or electoral interference.
The reported involvement of a person described as a political thug has nevertheless renewed concerns over the role of political violence in Nigerian elections, particularly where such incidents could frighten voters away from polling units or prevent election agents from carrying out their duties.
The situation also raises concerns about the safety of electoral officials, voters and party agents, especially in areas where political competition is intense.
Security agencies have a critical responsibility to maintain law and order, protect voters and election officials, and ensure that no individual or political group is allowed to intimidate citizens or interfere with the voting process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is similarly expected to ensure strict adherence to electoral guidelines throughout voting, sorting, counting and collation, while ensuring that only votes legitimately cast by the electorate determine the outcome of the election.
As voting and the subsequent collation process continue, attention remains firmly focused on the security agencies, INEC and political actors to prevent further violence and ensure that the Osun electorate is allowed to exercise its constitutional right to vote without fear, intimidation or coercion.