Lagos: Voters’ turnout low at various polling units in Oshodi

Some of the ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Oshodi Isolo local government area arrived at their various polling units late due to non-payment of their allowance, they alleged.

After the issue was resolved, they all went to their polling booths and commenced accreditation and voting, our reporter gathered. This caused a delay in some polling units where our reporter visited.

As at the time of filing this report, the turnout of voters was considerably low in nine polling units across Oshodi and Mafoluku area of the state.

In some polling booths, there were security personnel and in others, there are none, our reporter observed.

Eight out of nine polling units in Mafoluku and Oshodi had security personnel, while the ninth, ward 017, which was peaceful, had neither a Police, Air force nor civil defence personnel protecting the electorate as well as the ballot boxes.

Meanwhile, in Shogunle area, INEC staff arrived the polling units in the locality before 8am as voting commenced thereafter, according to a youth leader in the area, Yusuf Okewale.

He described the turnout of voters as “worse” compared to the Presidential election where people turned out considerably.

He said more security personnel were deployed in the area.

“At the Presidential election, there was only one Police and one civil defence officers. Now, things are better as there are up to four Police officers with a patrol van monitoring their activities and ensuring law and order.”