By Maureen
Few hours to the close of registration for intending Independent Electoral Commission(INEC) Ad-Hoc staff, more applicants have continued to throng cybercafés to register and beat the deadline.
Some Cybercafés located around Enugu metropolis on Monday shows a lot of applicants jostling for opportunity to be registered.
At Don Charles Cybercafé located at Agric Bank Bus/Stop, the owner, simply known as Emeka noted that the turnout had been very impressive.
“People are coming. Even state workers and teachers came in their large numbers today as you can see.
“We Nigerians are fond of waiting for the last minute before registering and that is why the people are plenty,” he said.
Also, at Jeonac Cybercafe at Ogbete market, the operator, Miss Ifeoma Igbokwe, said there was large turnout of applicants since Saturday.
She said that registration per person went for the sum of N500 adding that she had made a lot within the two days.
Moreso, she said she witnessed technical glitch using the portal at some point due to poor network, but the problem had been rectified and it was working well.
In addition, the manager of Goodness Cybercafe at HolyGhost, Mr Goodnews Eze also said business had been booming.
He said he was making enough money that he had to suspend other registrations and concentrated on INEC registration solely.
Goodness said he would be glad if the registration deadline could be extended beyond the deadline as clamoured for in several quarters.
Ifeoma Okoye, an applicant said she took permission from work to go and register for INEC Ad-Hoc staff since it was closing on Jan. 21.
She however, said Cybercafe’s were taking advantage of the deadline to charge applicants excess of up to N1,000.
“The Cybercafe man here has been registering people for N1,000 as against N500 that others do it and he is unapologetic about it,” she said.
Some of the applicants who spoke expressed delight with the registration and prayed that they would be successful.
“We have filled the forms as specified and we hope that INEC will consider us to serve the country,” Miss Rita Ugwuja, a student said.
Other applicants including civil servants who spoke in anonymity prayed for violent free elections so that they would be alive to witness the activities.
INEC opened its portal for recruitment of adhoc staff for the upcoming general elections in the country.
INEC in Enugu disclosed that about 18,000 adhoc staff comprising Federal civil servant, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and students are needed to do various administrative jobs during the elections. (NAN)
