David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi 

Former Senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Arise, has described the Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election as peaceful, orderly and largely devoid of the tension and intimidation often associated with electoral contests.

Speaking with journalists at his country home in Oye-Ekiti shortly after casting his vote on Saturday, the former lawmaker expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise, saying reports from across the state indicated that the election was progressing smoothly.

Arise noted that contrary to earlier fears of voter apathy, the turnout of voters was encouraging and comparable to what had been witnessed in previous elections in the state.

According to him, the atmosphere at his polling unit was calm and conducive, allowing voters to freely exercise their democratic rights without any form of harassment or disruption.

“The election has been peaceful and orderly. Initially, there were concerns that voter turnout might be low, but from what I have seen, people came out to vote. The turnout is comparable to previous elections, and that is a positive sign for our democracy,” he said.

The former senator commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their professionalism, noting that both institutions played crucial roles in ensuring a smooth electoral process.

He said electoral officials conducted themselves responsibly while security personnel maintained law and order without interfering with the voting process.

Arise disclosed that he did not witness any incident of vote-buying or other forms of electoral malpractice at his polling unit.

“I was at the polling unit for a short period and did not observe any form of vote buying or electoral misconduct. Everything appeared transparent and orderly,” he stated.

The APC chieftain also recounted a personal experience during the voting exercise when he arrived at the polling unit without his Permanent Voter Card (PVC).

According to him, despite being widely known within the community, he returned home to retrieve the card and followed the prescribed electoral procedures before casting his vote.

“I came to vote and realised that I had forgotten my PVC at home. Even though people know me, I had to go back and get it because the rules must be obeyed. We must continue to strengthen our institutions by respecting due process,” he said.

Arise explained that prior to the election, he had encouraged members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to participate peacefully in the exercise and avoid any conduct capable of undermining the democratic process.

He expressed optimism that Nigeria’s electoral system would continue to evolve and improve as democratic institutions become stronger.

Commenting on the outcome of voting in his polling unit, the former senator said the APC recorded a comfortable victory, adding that the voting pattern was consistent with the party’s historical performance in the area.

“From the results available at my polling unit, the APC won comfortably. The voting pattern is not different from what we have seen in previous elections in this area,” he said.

On his ongoing legal challenge relating to an internal party matter, Arise maintained that he remained committed to pursuing the case but indicated that he could reconsider his position if approached by the highest leadership of the party.

According to him, only President Bola Ahmed Tinubu could persuade him to withdraw the matter, provided adequate assurances were given regarding the issues in dispute.

While declining to elaborate extensively on the case, he stressed that any decision would be guided by the overall interest of the party and the need to strengthen internal democracy.

Looking beyond the election, the former senator urged whoever emerges victorious in the governorship contest to focus on development, economic growth and the welfare of the people.

He emphasised that governance should transcend partisan interests and be directed towards improving the living conditions of residents across the state.

“The position belongs to the people of Ekiti. Whoever emerges victorious must ensure that development reaches every part of the state and that the people enjoy the dividends of democracy,” he said.

Arise also called on political actors and supporters to accept the outcome of the election in good faith and contribute to the peace and stability of the state.

He expressed confidence that Ekiti would continue to consolidate its reputation as one of the most politically conscious and democratic states in the country.