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By: Tolu Olamiriki, Olawale Olaniyan, and Bioluwatife Akinyemi
Voters in some parts of Ibadan, on Saturday, faulted the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Visits across some polling units in Egbeda, Ibadan Northeast and Ido local government areas by Sunday Tribune witnessed voters, in their large numbers registering their displeasures on issues bordering on lateness in the arrival of INEC officials, insufficient provision of sensitive materials, and missing names on accreditation lists.
Arriving Ward 6 and 7, Polling unit 19, in the Monatan area of Ibadan around 08:10 am, our correspondents observed a crowd of voters, who were converged in groups; awaiting the arrival of INEC officials to conduct the voting process, which was expected to commence by 8:30 am.
A voter living with disability, Akande Olaitan, who decried lateness to the polling booth by INEC officials, told our correspondents he arrived at the venue an hour behind schedule to provide him the opportunity to get accredited and vote as quick as possible because of his health.
The honourable representing Egbeda constituency at the Oyo State House of Assembly, who was sighted at the same polling unit urged INEC to deploy its officials to the polling units on time in the March 11 governorship and state assembly elections.
In a visit to Ibadan North East local government, residents in Bashorun were seen in various polling units assembled in queues and seated in rows to exercise their franchise.
The Accord Party Reps candidate for Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Farouk Arisekola-Alao, lamented insufficiency in the distribution of INEC sensitive materials.
Arisekola-Alao said: “In my local government, we got 118 out of 512 agent tags, and some other infractions.”
He also implored INEC to make necessary adjustments ahead of March 11 election.
In Ward 2, Alexander Kuola-Apata in Ido local government area, a huge number of voters alleged that their names were missing on the list of registered voters.
Voters explained that the issue could be traced to the creation of new wards in Ibadan Southwest and Ido local government areas, to relieve overcrowding in some other polling units.
However, 75-year-old Mrs Adetutu Idowu at the polling booth commended INEC for a process which she described as smooth and hitch-free. She as well hinted that INEC’s effort to split the wards into two gave the community a free and organised exercise.
The APC candidate for Ibadan Southwest/Northwest federal constituency, Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, who voted in the same polling unit, commended INEC and the electorate, and also described the turnout as an impressive one.
Officials of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) were seen parading in different polling units in the popular Akala expressway in Ido local government to apprehend vote-buyers.
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