- Apathy, vote buying mar elections
BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
Ogun State People’s Democratic Party chieftain, Segun Sowunmi has commended the ongoing process of the gubernatorial and states house of assembly elections in the state.
Sowunmi, after casting his votes said the voters have done their part, the BVAS has been working optimally what is now left is for the INEC to do the needful by ensuring that results transmitted from the polling units to the IReV portal in Abuja to prevent the errors of February 25 presidential polls.
“What we have done now is our part. The BVAS is working very well. What is left is for the INEC to play its role by ensuring that the results are transmitted from the polling units to the IReV portal in Abuja.
“The truth of the matter is that most elections have been done at the polling units. People have their expectations on how well it has been conducted. Again I can say it has been well, you can see that BVAS have been working . We have done our part but let those responsible for counting the votes and those responsible for transmitting the results do their part. There’s so much to be lost if the integrity of an election process is destroyed. As far as I can see, so far so good.”
Also coming from Ogun State, Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency on election duty stop and search, just intercepted four party agents with hundreds of money credit cards, to buy votes at Ibara housing estate, Ogun State.
Each card contains N10,000.00 and activated to cash with a code.
Chairman of the NDLEA, Buba Marwa has directed they be handed over to the police after proper documentation.
At Ward 13 PU 2 Isale Igbeyin in Abeokuta South, some unknown thugs stormed the polling unit, carted away ballot boxes and scattered the PU, one of the INEC adhoc staff was able to rescue the BVAS.
From Benue state election officials were waiting for voters at the bethel city polling unit as voter apathy hits hard delaying commencement but voting was going on at Kenville park, Calabar junction Makurdi with 318 registered voters.
In Adamawa State former Vice President/PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar got accredited and casts his vote, at Ajiya Award 012 Poling Unit, in Yola North Adamawa State at 11:52am
In Anambra State where election is conducted into the state house of assembly recorded open vote buying and disturbing voter apathy which characterised the process in several part of the state capital, Awka.
The situation is the same in most part of the polling units as agents and vote canvassers, outnumbering the voters, usually crowd any new arrival to the polling units to solicit for votes for the parties they represent.
As every voter displays the ballot paper to reveal to the agents where they voted, then moves straight to the paypoint to collect their reward, which ranges from N1000 to N2000 or promise of a bag of rice.
In some instances, the canvassers and agents would handover Permanent Voters Card they perhaps had collected for the voters to them on arrival that in turn cast their votes in favour of the agent’s preferred party.
In Bauchi State where the incumbent is seeking reelection is not different.
Polling Unit Patient Market (2)( ATBU Teaching Hospital) Code:128 with 378 Registered voters only a few voters turned up as at 10:25. BVAS functionality has been good.
