The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Najeem Salaam, was whisked away by security operatives after violence erupted at his polling unit in Ejigbo, Osun State, on Saturday.
According to Daily Post, the incident occurred shortly after Salaam and his wife cast their votes at Unit 003, Iroyin Ayo Open Space, Ward 004.
The situation reportedly became tense as suspected thugs invaded the polling area. The development caused panic among voters, electoral officials, observers and journalists at the scene.
As the violence escalated, Salaam’s security personnel quickly moved him away from the area to prevent the situation from putting him at further risk.
The disturbance also forced some voters to abandon the queue and flee the polling unit. INEC officials and other election observers equally left the area as tension continued to rise.
Security personnel from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) later arrived at the polling unit. Their presence was aimed at restoring calm and securing the area so that the electoral process could continue.
However, voting was reportedly disrupted following the incident, leaving some voters unable to cast their ballots at the time. The identity of those behind the alleged attack and what triggered the violence were not immediately clear.
Earlier, Salaam had expressed confidence in his chances of winning the Osun governorship election. The ADC candidate had also raised concerns about the treatment of some of his party’s agents during the election.
He stressed that ADC agents should receive proper recognition at polling units, especially during the counting of votes. Despite the incident at his polling unit, voting continued in other parts of Osun State as voters turned out to elect the state’s next governor.
The election is being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the state’s 30 local government areas.
