Accreditation of voters and voting have began in polling units in Saturday’s FCT Area Councils Poll, as voters cast their votes for their candidates.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that although some areas witnessed large turnout of voters, others witnessed low turnout with officials attending to the few voters around.
In Area x polling unit of Nyanya, Abuja Manicipal Area Council(AMAC), accreditation and voting started around 9:15 a.m. in unit 003 005, and 006.
Mr Emmanuel Balaku, the Assistant Presiding Officer 3 at polling unit 005 said that the process had been orderly as voters exercised their franchise without challenge.
Balaku attributed the hitch free process to the functioning of the voting equipment.
He also said the heavy presence of security personnels contributed to the orderly process of the election.
But, Mr Samson Okodo, a voter in unit 003 said that the election witnessed low voter turnout attributing the situation to increase in polling units, noting that the creation of more units displaced the original voting points for most people.
This, he noted created confusion, as many prospectives voters could not find their names on the voters list at their original polling units.
Okodo said that the situation led to voter aparty as many voters were not willing waste time to locate their new polling units.
Another voter, Mrs Hagara Assimawo said that the low turnout of voters could be attributed to the non sensitisation of members of the community before the election by political parties.
Assimawo however, expressed optimism that more voters would turn out before the end of voting period.
Also the situation was not much different in Garki, as accreditation and voting started around 9.00 a.m.
At the PU018, Central Post Office, Garki Area 10 election started commenced around 9.00 a.m.
The INEC Presiding Officer for the unit, Mrs Amarachi Faith, said all election materials were complete and so far there was no challenge with functionality Bimodal Voters Authentication System (BVAS).
However, a voter, Mrs Efienokwu Tina, expressed displeasure with functionality of the BVAS, saying that the device could not recognise her at the initial stage, until her picture were taken.
“I am done with voting but they need to improve on the process,” she said.
In other units in the area like PU 017 and 015 Area 8, Garki accreditation and voting started at 9.44 a.m.
The Presiding Officer for PU 017, Mr Bashir Martins, said there was no challenge with the functionality of BVAS.
At the PU 011 opposite Custom Clinic, Karu, ad hoc staff and election materials just arrived at 10.19a.m.
A voter at the centre, Mr Daniel Kagarko, expressed displeasure at the late commencement of voting, even though security agents arrived early.
Kagarko, who was waiting to cast his vote expressed the hope that the voting process would be conducted peacefully.
At the Polling Unit 071, INEC officials were just setting up the polling unit at 10.22 a.m.
The Presiding Officer, Mr Suleiman Aliyu, said that they already set up at another unit before they were told that was not the location, hence they have to dismantle everything and move to the correct location.
At Polling Unit 84 by NUC quarters entrance gate, Karu , the ad hoc staff were setting up the polling unit as at 10.35a.m.
The presiding officer who refused to mentioned her name attributed the late commence to inability to located the unit on time.
NAN reports that as at 10 .27a.m. election materials and ad hoc staff were yet to arrived at Polling Unit 012, while at the Polling Unit Connershop Karu, INEC staff and election materials were on ground, while voting was yet to commence.
Also at the Polling Unit 013, CBN junction Karu, election was about to commence at 10.56a.m., while voters were already on voting queue.
NAN reports that there was security presence at all the polling units visited.
There were also road blocks mounted at some major roads in Nyanyan and Karu to enforce restriction of movement.(NAN)
