By Dayo Johnson & Olasunkanmi Akoni

LABOUR Party (LP) yesterday, won the Akure North bye-election into the Ondo State House of Assembly after its candidate, Akindele Adeniyi polled 15,589 or 90.24 per cent. He defeated his closest opponent, Akin Idowu of the PDP who got 1,602 or 9.36 per cent. The election was characterised by violence and voters’apathy.

Three persons were reportedly shot at Igoba area of the council following report that supporters of one of the parties were thumb printing ballot papers in the area while five persons were injured across the wards that election took place.

Ondo By-election: A driver, Mr Ayo Olajide allegedly attacked by some thugs.

Police in the state on the eve of the election arrested some thugs with arms and ammunition on the Akure-Owo Expressway.

The commissioner of police, Donald Iroham told newsmen in Akure that the suspects were in their custody for interrogation. Iroham said the suspects were bringing the arms into the state when police accosted their vehicle along the expressway.

Contestants in the election were Akindele Adeniyi of Labour Party, Akin Idowu of Peoples Democratic Party and Olorunmibe Ameto of the Action Congress. Akindele Alasoadura of PDP won the April 2007 election then but died before the proclamation of the state House of Assembly.

Meanwhile, the police said six person were arrested for various offences of violence and electoral malpractices that characterized yesterday’s bye election in the state. Police spokesman, Aremu Adeniran, said that they had been transferred to the state CID for interrogation.

A ballot box at a voting centre in Oba Ile

But sources said that over 20 persons were apprehended across the 11 wards while perpetrating various electoral offences.

A red Nissan Primera marked AY 592YAB was damaged by party supporters after guns were recovered from it by policemen at Igoba area where sporadic shooting took place while the other vehicle reportedly escaped.

Electoral materials were prevented from being taken to Abo Asakin by thugs who barricaded the roads until mobile policemen dismantled the blockade. A middle aged man was beaten to a pulp and later handed over to the police for allegedly giving out guns to thugs.