Gov Election: Five feared dead, one injured, house razed in Delta

In Delta, five persons reportedly lost their lives at Mosogar and Oghara, in  Ethiope West Local Government Area during the polls.

Reports said four persons were shot dead at Mosogar and one at Oghara.   Suspected political thugs torched the residence of  former Chairman  of Ethiope West LGA, Dr. Wilson Omene, an All Progressives Congress, APC, leader in the state.

At Evwreni, Ughelli North LGA, thugs went on the rampage, attacked INEC officials, and destroyed about three BVAS machines and electoral materials.

Some electoral officers sustained injuries, and the incident disrupted voting in polling units in the area.

The rampaging thugs prevented a  team of journalists monitoring the elections from entering the community.

Sources said some security personnel, who were deployed to the community, compromised, and they supervised the disruption process.

In the Mosogar mayhem, sources said the deceased persons died after an exchange of gunfire between security operatives and irate youths.

Some youths also threatened to revenge the death of one Oburuche, just as Omene accused a member of the opposition party of being behind the attack on his house and car.

At Amukpe, near Sapele, a youth allegedly lost his hand during a clash in one of the polling units in the area

Unlike the February 25 presidential and National Assembly polls,  there was a low turnout of voters, yesterday, but electoral materials arrived early  at various polling units across Delta.

Reports said the polling materials arrived at the various RAC Centres on Friday, and as of 7.00 am, officials of the INEC had begun the distribution of the items to the various units.

As early as 10 am voting and accreditation had taken place in several polling units  in Warri, Uvwie, and other parts of the state.

Some voters stayed out of the exercise, saying  they doubted the sincerity  of the electoral umpire.

There was a noticeably high presence of security operatives in Asaba, the state capital, Ogwashi-Uku, Kwale, Oleh, Ozoro, Agbor, Ughelli, Obiaruku, and Aboh, as voting commenced between 8 am and 8.30 am in the areas.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who voted at his Unit 17, Ward 02 (Eghoma Primary School), Owa-Alero in Ika North-East LGA at 9.50 am, said: “Everything is working perfectly here. However, there are a few issues of persons unable to get to their units because of restrictions, but we hope they are able to meet up before the close of the election. Vanguard