Voting into the Governorship and state House of Assembly elections are yet to commence in many parts of Ikeja, including Ojodu, as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were not sited at the polling stations at about 11 a.m. on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on-the-spot verification team visited Babatunde Fafunwa Model School, which housed Ward B, Unit 012 and 013, as well as Ward B 017 and 018.
Other areas visited include Ward B, Unit 004, Ojodu; Ward F Unit 022, Unit 021, 020, Ward B, 002 and 015; Ward 3, Unit 046 and 047, among others.
Speaking at her Polling Unit, the Iyaloja General, Mrs Folasade Ojo-Tinubu, appealed for an extension of the voting time, adding that this will give residents the opportunity to vote.
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“I believe that INEC has to improve; we have to ask for the extension of voting hours, because we started rather late.
“We need to cover up for the lost time, so we implore INEC to give us more time,” she said.
The party agents who spoke with NAN expressed disappointment over the late arrival of the INEC officials.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent, Mr Ojolola Olasunkanmi, said the voters and other party agents were still expecting the INEC officials.
“We are still expecting them. What caused the delay is unknown to us.
“Many voters have been here since morning till this time which is 10a.m, whereas voting should have commenced.
“The presidential election was not like this. I hope people will not be discouraged to vote again,” he said.
Mrs Toyin Davies, an All Progressives Congress (APC) agent for Ward F unit 020, was also in the dark regarding what was responsible for the late arrival of the INEC officials.
“I can’t explain what is holding them and the reason the voting failed to commence on time. We have yet to see the INEC officials and nobody has been able to give us reasons,’’ she said.
Another PDP agent for Ward B Unit 012, Mr Thompson Smith, however, alleged that the late arrival of the INEC officials was to disenfranchise the party faithful who are dominant in the area.
“I want to see this as a deliberate attempt to discourage people from voting since they know that Ojodu area is pre-dominantly a PDP stronghold.
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This is a pure attempt to disenfranchise the voters in this area and we are sad about this development,” he said.
An APC agent for Ward B Unit 0018, Mrs Adetoun Onafunwa, however, made an appeal to INEC to expedite action so that the election could be free and fair.
“We are appealing to the INEC officials to please settle all the logistic hiccups on time to allow for the voting to start.
“Many voters have been here since 6 a.m. waiting for the INEC officials who are nowhere to be found. Many are even the aged ones,” she said.
A staff of INEC, who spoke with NAN under condition of anonymity, however attributed the delay to technical issues. (NAN)
