Some supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, have reportedly assaulted a Labour Party, LP, polling agent, Spencer Dominic, at Polling Unit 027, along Yaya Abatan Road in the Ogba area of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government.
The altercation allegedly broke out when the APC chairmanship candidate, Usman Akanbi Hamzat, arrived at the unit to cast his vote. Eyewitnesses said APC loyalists confronted the LP agent and ordered him to move away from behind the electoral officers as the candidate approached the ballot area.
According to reports, the confrontation escalated when the LP agent resisted the instruction. He was allegedly dragged, slapped, and shouted at by the APC supporters, all in the presence of security personnel who reportedly did not intervene.
Order was eventually restored following the intervention of some bystanders who stepped in to stop the assault.
In a brief interview, Dominic explained that he was stationed behind the electoral officers to observe proceedings and ensure transparency in the voting process.
“I was monitoring those coming to vote and checking their voter cards. When the chairman came and told me to move, I declined because I had a duty to observe. That’s when some APC members attacked me,” he said.
However, an APC chieftain, Gbenga Adebowale, defended the party’s position, claiming that the LP agent was violating polling protocol by standing too close to election officials.
“The council chairman is the incumbent and was simply casting his vote. The agent had no right to confront him or ask for his voter card,” Adebowale argued.
He also stated, “Agents are not supposed to stand directly behind electoral officers. There are clear boundaries for agents at polling units. His actions were confrontational and disruptive.”