By Monday Ijeh
TrackNigeria: Voters in Chibiri Ward of Kuje Area Council, FCT, have called for extension voting time due to the late commencement of accreditation, following late arrival of election materials at their polling units.
Some of the voters made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Kuje.
They said that no polling unit in the ward started voting before 9.30 a.m. as a result of the delay in arrival of the election materials and personnel.
They called for extension of voting period in the ward to ensure that voters were not disenfranchised on the grounds of the official closing time put at 2p.m.
NAN correspondents, who monitored the exercise in the area council, report that election materials arrived between 9:30a.m and 10a.m at the various polling units visited as against 8:00a.m.
NAN reports that the affected voters waited patiently for the arrival of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and materials up to 9.a.m.
Mr Samuel Danladi, a voter at Shadadi Primary School Polling Centre in Chibiri Ward, said that he was at the polling unit as early as 7:30a.m.
He expressed displeasure at the failure of INEC officials to commence voting at 8a.m. in line with its pledge.
“I have been here since 7.30a.m and have not seen INEC officials and voting materials; this is 9.30a.m.
“Nigerians are eager to vote as you can see with the number of people waiting patiently to exercise their franchise,” he said.
Mr Austin Okoro, a voter at LEA Primary School Polling Centre, Pasali in Chibiri Ward, said the delay in the arrival of materials had discouraged the electorate.
He said that he was at the voting centre as early as 8a.m but expressed dismay that INEC officials did not come with the materials until 9.30a.m
Okoro called for extension of voting period, adding that voting finally commenced at about 10a.m at the centre.
NAN, however, reports that voting started between 8.30 and 9.a.m. in most of the polling units visited in the Central Ward of Kuje Area Council, with impressive turnout of voters. (NAN)
