Off-Cycle Poll: Late arrival of INEC officials, materials in Kogi

The Off-Cycle Governorship Election in Kogi witnessed late arrival of INEC officials at polling units in some parts of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most places around Lokoja metropolis encountered the late arrival of officials and materials.

INEC had announced that materials and officials were expected to arrive at their centres/ polling units by 6:00 a.m.

Places like Adankolo, Lokongoma and Kpata encountered similar challenges.

Mr. Cornelius Stephen, a civil servant that came all from Kano to vote, expressed disappointment with INEC, which had assured timely distribution of materials and arrival of officials at polling units across Kogi.

“This election is different from what we experienced on Feb. 25 and March 18. You can see that it’s 7:40 a.m. already, yet only security personnel are around here at St Luke Primary School, Adankolo within Lokoja 1 Ward A,” he said.

The officials for the ward, however, arrived at 8:15 a.m. and moved to their various polling units.

Abiola choice, Presiding Officer (PO), said that they came late to St. Luke Primary School, Adankolo, because of late distribution of materials at the RAC Centre in Crowder Memorial College, Lokoja.

She added: “Even after we got the materials from the RAC (Registration Area Centres), there was no vehicle to convey us to the polling units.”

“As you can see, we are trying to set the tables and also paste the voters registers on the walls for the voters to check their names to come forward for accreditation and voting.

“By God’s grace in the few minutes we shall be done with the setting for the accreditation to commence, ” Choice assured.

Again, there were no agents of the 18 participating political parties in some of the polling units.
(NAN)