YIAGA AFRICA urges INEC to extend voting period for Bayelsa,Kogi poll

YIAGA AFRICA, a Civil Society Organisation (NGO) on Saturday called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend voting period in the ongoing Bayelsa and Kogi election.

A statement jointly signed by Dr Hussaini Abdu, Chair YIAGA AFRICA Working Group and Mr Samson Itodo ,Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA said the call was due to late commencement of poll.

“Following late commencement of election in some polling units in Bayelsa and Kogi owing to inadequate and late deployment of security officials to accompany INEC officials and materials to the polling units.

“YIAGA AFRICA calls on INEC to extend voting beyond 2p.m. to 5p.m. for affected polling units in Bayelsa and 2p.m. to 4p.m. for affected areas in Kogi.”

The organisation said that this would ensure eligible voters were not disenfranchised.
It said that YIAGA AFRICA called on security agencies to fulfill their constitutional responsibility of ensuring that the election was conducted in a secured environment.(NAN)