Africa’s Largest Democracy Finally Goes To Vote, A Week Late

Eniola Olayemi

Head of ECOWAS Election Observer Mission to Nigeria, Mrs Ellen Jonhson Sirleaf, is supervising a delegation of election monitors to 8 polling centres and Durumi II Primary School within the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja.

Sirleaf, arrived the polling centre at about 8.55 a.m. after which the first female voter, Mrs Comfort Akale, cast the first ballot at about 9.50 a.m.

The head of the ECOWAS election observer mission left the polling unit at 10.05 a.m. without speaking to newsmen while the polling centre was flooded due to the large crowd of voters.

Meanwhile, some voters have expressed displeasure over the delay in the commencement of the exercise and have attributed it to lack of punctuality of INEC officials.

Mr Daniel Chukwu, one of the voters, expressed displeasure concerning the late commencement of voting.

“I came here since 7.30 a.m and this is 10.40 a.m we have not made any progress,” he said.

Another voter, Mrs Ailenen Edit complained that she was unable to cast her vote as at 10.35 a.m as a result of the problem she encountered during the transfer of her voter’s card from Wuse II to Durumi II polling unit.

However various party agents were being reported to have taken stock of the materials and the ballot boxes, while accreditation and voting was yet to commence at 8.30 a.m at the Apo Legislative Quarters.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the voting time in some areas where voting kicked off late.

The electoral body recognized that voting did not start at the stipulated time at some polling units, and has therefore directed that the exercise be extended in such areas for the lengthy of time washed before voting started.

Voting was scheduled to commence by 8am and was targeted to end at 2pm.