The hope of over 5,000 registered voters in the upscale Victoria Garden City area of Lagos State hangs in the balance as the governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the area were postponed on Saturday, Premium Times reports.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it postponed Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in the 10 polling units situated in Victoria Garden City.
Premium Times said that the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mr. Segun Agbaje, announced this while speaking with journalists, on Saturday, at the Estate.
According to Mr. Agbaje, corps members deployed as ad hoc staff, on Saturday, were unwilling to enter the VGC Estate having claimed that they were held hostage during the 25 February presidential and National Assembly elections.
Mr. Agbaje said the Commission’s ad hoc staff set up voting materials in front of the estate, on Saturday, but the estate residents claimed that hoodlums might disrupt the process, so they did not feel secure and could not cast their votes outside the estate.
He said the situation was difficult for security agents to contain, hence, he and his team had to come to the area.
“We have eight polling units here with 6,024 registered voters and out of which 5,624 people have their PVCs,” he said, adding that two other polling units at the estate’s main gate were also affected. “Eight here (in the estate) and two outside,” he noted.
“After due consultation and further directive from the national headquarters (we resolved) that we should remobilise here tomorrow (Sunday) morning by 08:30 a.m. to conduct the elections.
“By 08:30 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday), we will reconvene here.”
While confirming that the chairman of the security committee of the estate had assured the Commission of the safety of corps members and INEC staff and voters, Mr. Agbaje said the last person in the queue by 2.30 p.m. would be allowed to vote on Sunday.