Accreditation of voters began early in most polling units in Ado-Ekiti for Saturday’s Ekiti State governorship election, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
NAN correspondent who monitored the exercise, reports that election materials and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, arrived early in readiness for the poll.
A visit to Polling Unit, PU 002, Ward 10 at Set Mango, Ado ‘J’ Okesa, Banks Road, revealed that the officials were set for business as at 8.05 a.m.,
The PU Presiding Officer Awolola Oluwatosin, addressed the voters and assured them that accreditation and voting would start by 8.30am.
Mr Oluwatosin who spoke in Yoruba language called for the cooperation of all registered voters.
“Some of you have approached us to start by now (8.10am), but we are just ad hoc officer, who has no power to change the rule.
“We were directed by INEC to start by 8.30am and it will surely start at the exact time,” Mr Oluwatosin said.
The presiding officer called for the cooperation of all registered voters at the PU to ensure that the election was rancour-free.
NAN reports that INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Niger, Sam Egwu, who was in the state for election supervision was sighted at the PU.
As at 7.36 a.m., INEC officials were already setting up PU 031, Ward 10 at All Soul’s Anglican Grammar School, Oke Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti.
The Presiding Officer, Tope Isaac, said that all election materials were ready for the commencement of the poll.
At PU 013, Ward 10 Ado J Okesa, Ado Ekiti, Opposite Bishop House Road, Textile II, Ado Ekiti with 743 registered voters, election materials and personnel arrived at 7 a.m, while accreditation and voting commenced at 8.30 am.
The PU Presiding Officer Ogunjimi Olayinka, who spoke with NAN said that the election has been hitch-free as there was no problem with the operation of BVAS.
Also at PU017, Ward 10, Better Life Area, Basiri IV, Ado Ekiti with 2,011 registered voters and three BVAS, voting commenced by 8.30 a.m.
At the PU it took the intervention of security agents to get the voters on queue before the commencement of accreditation.
The PU Presiding Officer, Fidelix Egba, said there was a little challenge with the operations of BVAS at commencement of the the poll, but that it has been corrected.
NAN
