Voting got underway in Agege Ward F Councillorship runoff election in Lagos State on Saturday, with voters trickling into polling units from 8:30 a.m. to vote.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election is being conducted because the July 24 Local Government poll in the state did not produce a clear winner at the councillorship poll in the area.
The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) Chairman, retired Justice Ayotunde Phillips, had said that the runoff was necessitated by the tie between candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
NAN correspondents who monitored the exercise, observed that though electoral officers came as early as few minutes past 8:30 a.m., the voter turnout was not impressive. The exercise was however peaceful.
In some polling units visited by NAN, the Smart Card Readers worked well for the accreditation and validation exercises.
At PU 006, located in Dairy Farm Nursery and Primary School, the exercise was ongoing under the watch of security operatives.
Speaking to NAN, Mr Gbenga Ohiro, the PDP agent at the PU, who described the turnout as low and poor, however, commended the peaceful atmosphere.
Ohiro said the smart card reader had been working well for accreditation since the commencement of the exercise.
The APC agent at same PU, Mr Ahmed Fujah, who noted that the polling officers arrived early, commended security operatives for ensuring peace.
A voter, Alhaji Surajudeen Hamzat, commended the peaceful process and functionality of the smart card readers.
He said that if elections were free and fair, people would be happy to participate.
The LASIEC presiding officer at the polling unit, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that only about 20 of the 865 registered voters turned out to vote as at 11:40 a.m.
At PU 007, Mr Afolabi Arowolo, the LASIEC Presiding Officer, commended the peaceful conduct of voters, but decried the voter apathy.
The electoral officer, noted that only about 15 of the 863 registered voters in the area turned out to vote as at noon.
He commended the fact that the smart card readers worked well.
Speaking on the exercise at the same PU, Mrs Bulky Olugbade, PDP agent, said though the election had been peaceful, the turnout was poor.
Olugbade, however, commended security agencies for mobilising officers to provide security for the electoral officers and materials, voters and party agents.
Mr Oluwaweyi Femi, APC agent at the polling unit, also said the exercise was so far, peaceful and credible.
A voter at the PU, Alfa Azeez Dauda told NAN that he didn’t spend two minutes to get accredited and to vote, saying the exercise was very fast.
Mr Olusoga Adedeji, Presiding Officer, PU 017 located at No. 14 Sowonuola St., Keke also said the exercise had been peaceful, though the turnout had not been impressive. (NAN)
