Some electorate in the Ikere-Ekiti area of Ekiti State has decried the non-inclusion of stamp pads in the election materials supplied to the town, alleging that the process has been compromised.
They expressed their displeasure in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the town.
Mass turnout of voters, heavy security presence greet Ekiti election
2023 Merger: We are in talks with Peter Obi, says Kwankwaso
One of them, an 85-year-old woman, Caroline Elizabeth, vowed to wait until the stamp pad was produced, saying that she could not afford to be disenfranchised.
“This is my civic responsibility and that am still alive to witness this, I must cast my vote. This is another dimension in my 85 years in life; I have voted more than 12 times and never witnessed this situation.
“But, no matter how long it takes INEC to produce the stamp pads, I will continue to wait,” Elizabeth said.
Another voter, Mr Isaac Alabi, expressed his displeasure with the situation, saying that why were the INEC officials just observing that there were no stamp pads in the materials given to them three days before the election.
Mr Ade Asimolowo, an electorate noted that a peaceful election was possible if all involved in the electoral process could abide by the guiding rules.
Commenting, Dr Wole Oluyede, the Governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), complained that the election had been compromised following the non-inclusion of vital items in the election materials despatched to the town.
It was gathered that at 10:15 am, at Ugele Arokun Ward 3 Unit 6 in Ikere-Ekiti, where the ADC candidate was expected to vote, ballot stamp pads were missing in the voting materials dispatched to the polling unit.
A Presiding Officer, Mr Festus More, said that all the items were completed when he checked through, but could not explain how the stamps were removed.
“I was set for the voting as all the necessary preparation and protocols have been done. In fact, I have given out a ballot paper to the first voter, only to discover that the stamps were missing,” More said.
He, however, assured the electorate that arrangements had been to get another stamp so that voting could commence in earnest. (NAN)
