Electoral officer for Okene LG, Mr. Godwin Edibo has attributed the success of the election so far to the strategy adopted by INEC in the conduct of the polls.
“We engaged students of federal tertiary institutions in the state because they are not under state control”, he said, noting that the commission tried to make sure it engaged as many impartial hands as possible in the exercise.
5:30pm
As voting drew to a close across the state from 4pm and counting began, he gubernatorial candidates of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and that of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) Prince Abubakar Audu and Elder Ubolo Okpanachi respectively have expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election.
Speaking with newsmen after casting his vote at his Aloma hometown in Ofu Local Government Area of the state, Audu said he was satisfied with the conduct of the election, stressing that “the people of the state wanted change and that is why ACN is the having upper hand in the election”.
Similarly, the ANPP candidate, Okpanachi told newsmen that the conduct of the exercise was peaceful and transparent. He said he was confident of winning the election if the process was transparent throughout.
Efforts to get the comment of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Captain Idris Wada, were unsuccessful as security men prevented journalists from talking to him.
Voters casting their ballots at Ihinma, Okehi LGA
The numbers
1, 333, 312 voters
239 wards;
2,548 polling units;
21 local govt areas;
7,973 INEC ad hoc staff.
The major candidates:
PDP: Capt Idris Wada
ACN: Prince Abubakar Audu
CPC: James Ocholi
ANPP: Ubolo Okpanachi
ACCORD: Friday Odia
JP: Aisha Abubakar Audu
LP: Ibrahim Tanko
SDMP: Lawal Itopa Lamidi
3:20pm
Running mate to Prince Abubakar Audu, the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Barrister Henry Ojuola, has decried the low turnout of voters in the western senatorial district of the state during today’s gubernatorial election.
He attributed the poor turnout of voters to what he described as the poor performances of the ruling party in the last eight years in the state. He however expressed the optimism that his party would win the election.
His PDP counterpart, Architect Abayomi Awoniyi is calling the polls “peaceful, free and fair”.
He told newsmen at Ward 4, unit 4 at Mopa in Mopamuro Local Government Area of the state, Awoniyi affirmed that there was no delay in voters’ accreditation and voting exercises.
INEC National Commissioner Dame Gladys Nne Innewafor has also described the conduct of the election as peaceful and said the voters’ turnout is impressive.
She said it is not possible for anyone to hijack ballot papers as they were uniquely customized “local government by local government”.
3:00pm
Reports from our reporters in the state say that voting has been peaceful in all areas visited. Many of the voters also expressed happiness with the peaceful conduct of the polls so far.
Governor Ibrahim Idris cast his vote at his hometown of Abejukolo at 12:45pm
The governor commended the INEC, the security agencies and the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the election, appealing to them to sustain it throughout and after the election period.
Governor Ibrahim Idris casting his vote
1:20pm
Voting began began at about 12:30pm in some polling units in Lokoja, Ayetorogbede and few others.
However, cases of shortage of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff in some polling units were reported to the state headquarters of the commission. Areas affected include Ajaokuta, Ogori-magongo, Idah and Okene.
The situation compelled the Resident Electoral Commissioner Alhaji Ahmad Makama and the INEC Commissioner in charge of Kogi, Plateau and Nasarawa States to abandon monitoring and hurriedly made efforts to address the problem.
Reports from Okene in the central senatorial district of the state showed that there was orderliness as voters conducted themselves peacefully.
Situation report from Kogi East:
The atmosphere has remained relatively calm in Anyigba in Dekina local government area. There is heavy security presence in the area with the electoral officers waiting for materials to arrive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ps_31Rlxe0
At Atanegoma vilage in Dekina local government materials were yet to arrive by 10 am. Abubakar Obaje who spoke to journalist said INEC officials have called that materials were on the way.
At Abejikolo in Omala local government, material arrived by 7am while accreditation commenced by 8 am.
But at Iyale materials have arrived with INEC officials addressing the electorate so as to commence accreditation.
A corps member showing voters how to queue and vote
11:10am
Report from Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi and Okene LGAs: Accreditation is still ongoing in all polling centres. Voting is scheduled to start at 12 noon. The heavy presence of security agents all across the four LGAs seem likely to forestall any violence of any kind.
10:30am
Accreditation started as early as 9am in Lokoja but there were delays in Ankpa, Kabba and Bassa local government areas.
INEC PRO in the state, Mallam Ahmed Bagudu cited the restriction on vehicular movement as a major reason for the delay in commencement of accreditation in those areas.
Accreditation in progress in Lokoja
9:04am
Accreditation has started at Adogo, the headquarters of Ajaokuta LGA. The turn out is low but some people spoken to assure that they will go and get accredited later when the queues have reduced.
Hon. Moses Ado Okino, an elder statesman and former member of the House of Representatives says the people of Ajaokuta will conduct themselves. He said there was no cause for alarm, assuring that the people have resolved to cast their votes in peace.
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Policemen on patrol in Okene
8:30am
Election materials are being moved to polling units both in Okene and Adavi Local government areas.
However, movement is not completely restricted in both LGAs as they are both transit routes to the South western part of the country and Edo state in particular. However, thorough screenings are being conducted on vehicles.
8:00
As voters begin to prepare to go out for the accreditation exercise, security has been beefed up in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital. There is apprehension in the air and parents are keeping their wards close to home for fear of violence.
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