Low turnout of voters was the order of the day in Irepo/Olorunsogo/Oorelope Federal Constituency where a rerun election was held Saturday to fill the House of Representatives seat of the constituency, even as more than 100 alleged poliutical thugs were arrested.

The state Deputy Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Lawan who confirmed the arrest in a  telephone interview with Sunday Tribune, disclosed that most of them were arrested for allegedly disrupting the re-run election.

He said items recovered from them included locally made pistols, dangerous weapons and criminal charms.

"Whether those arrested were hoodlums or political suspects, I believe that over 100 people have been arrested for disrupting the election in the areas," the police boss said.

At Igbeti in Olorunsogo Local Government, voting went on amid the allegation by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Jacob Gbadebo Adetoro, that the state government brought thugs to Igbeti on Thursday.

He said that on Friday night, the thugs were shooting guns and telling PDP supporters not to come out to vote. He alleged that 18 thugs were arrested by the police.

However, the Chairman of Olorunsogo Local Government, Mr. Oyebisi Raimi Ajibola, denied the allegations of  importation of thugs and shooting. He said the people were ACN party agents.

Area Police Commander, Pat Ezeani also confirmed the arrest of some people, saying the police were screening the suspects but did not specify the number.

At Kisi, headquaters of Irepo Local Government, the turnout, according to the local government chairman, Mr. Popoola Yekeen, was low. He said it was due to fear of the outbreak of violence and intimidation of voters by the PDP.

Popoola alleged that three Hilux vehicles, loaded with military men were brought by the PDP to Kishi, which prevented people from coming out to vote.

At the polling booth in Olanipekun Primary School, Kisi, where the soldiers were allegedly stationed, the policemen said the soldiers were on patrol duty to maintain security.

However, at 2.30 p.m when counting was going on at Atipa Ward 3, unit 2 polling booth, commotion set in as two people said to be two members of a party (names withheld) led some people to snatch ballot boxes in Ward 3.

The local government chairman who tried to stop them at unit 2 polling booths was slapped by one of the two and he ran away, while the second person was arrested and taken away by soldiers who came immediately to restore peace.

The PDP candidate in the election, Hon.  Jimoh Afees, who said he was sure of victory said the soldiers came  because of the activities of hoodlums and vigilantes who came with charms, smoking Indian hemp and shooting into the air to deter people from coming out to vote.

At Igboho, the situation was the same as the turnout was low. Some people alleged by th

Generally voting in the three local governments was peaceful as the presence of soldiers prevented violence.