By Oludamisi Ojo

Votes counting In the 16 local government areas of Ekiti state are now on going after voting exercise which officially ended by 2,30pm.

Results filtering from the polling units though not yet official from INEC put the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead with the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) with the Labour Party and others behind.

Voters in the state had earlier besieged various polling units across the state to exercise their franchise as early as 7,30am,

However, Women were more visible on the queue than men.

Many of the prospective voters said they came out to vote in order to show their act of patriotism.

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Some commercial motorcyclists and transporters were seen plying the roads, doing their normal business.
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Governor Biodun Oyebanji, shortly after casting his vote alongside his wife, Dr Mrs Olayemi at Okelele ward 3 unit 6 in Ikogosi-Ekiti, hailed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over what he described as an improvement on the voting system.

Oyebanji voted exactly at 11:30 am and  lauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

He expressed optimism that the APC will be triumph in the poll.

Heavy presence of combined security personnel was virtually in every place visited, while there is a short supply in some others places.

Apart from Ado-Ekiti, the State capital where there was huge turnout of voters, other big towns like Ikere-Ekiti, Ikole-Ekiti, Efon Alaaye, Okemesi -Ekiti, Ifaki-Ekiti, Omuo-Ekiti and Emure-Ekiti, among many others, also witnessed same scenario.

As early as 7am, residents of Ikogosi-Ekiti the country home of Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, trooped out in their numbers to participate in the presidential election.

While many trekked long distances following the restriction on vehicular movements, few went to their polling units on private motor bikes.

At the different polling units visited, both at Ikogosi-Ekiti , Ward 003, unit 6 and Ikere-Ekiti ,the country home of the Deputy governor, Chief Mrs Afuye, voters were seen checking their names on the displayed voter registers while others were already on queues.

INEC Ad hoc officials arrived on time in readiness for the election with the sensitive materials.

Also, there was full presence of heavy security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, NSCDC, Immigration, traffic warden among others on ground in many of the places visited.

Some voters interviewed expressed delight that their names were on the list pasted waiting for accreditation.

Reports across the State, showed that that election materials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arrived the various polling Centres in record time, not longer than 7:30a.m, while there was a slight delay in some others.