Voters Protest Disenfranchisement In Most Polling Units In Warri South

Tension enveloped Warri South council area following the failure of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct election in the area.

BIGPEN NIGERIA (www.bigpenngr.com) reports that temper became high over the late arrival of the sensitive materials to the various polling units in the council area.

Hundreds of voters who thronged the polling units have protested that they could not exercise their franchise in the whole local government area.

Specifically at Ward 9, Unit 3 and 4 Igbudu Primary School, dozens of voters protested INEC absence at the polling units.

The voters had thronged the road in protest of the development, calling on the council chairman, Michael Tidi to explain why INEC officials were not in the council area despite the fact that electoral materials were sorted and distributed at the secretariat.

Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Theophilus Uwaoma decried the failure of INEC to dispatch materials to Igbudu ward 9.

Many of the voters at the ward including those from Ward 4 called on INEC to declared that no election was held across Ward 4 of Warri South council area of Delta state, as of 4p.m.

The Ward comprises Ekurede-Itsekiri, Ugbori, Ugbuwanguwe and Ajamimogha communities in Warri South LGA.

The protesters called for an official statement of the cancellation of the polls by the Electoral Officer, Kingsley Ogboe.

At the INEC secretariat, one of the youths, Timeyin, told our correspondent that the purported cancellation as told by INEC officials was over the late arrival of materials to the ward.

According to him, “the INEC officials arrived at the units past 2p.m. They said the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) cannot work after 2:30pm, so they will conduct the election tomorrow.”

Asked why they were at the INEC secretariat, he said they wanted an official statement from the Electoral Officer that the elections were cancelled and to be held on Sunday.

Several efforts by journalist to get comments from the EO, Ogboe, after about an hour’s wait at the secretariat, were futile.

As of 4p.m, a drive through major routes in Warri saw scores of electorate standing along Warri/Sapele, Okere, Deco, Mission Road.

Warri South council chairman, Michael Tidi blamed the development on alleged moves by opposition party to collide with INEC to disenfranchised his people.

At Alagbor in Uvwie voters defied the heavy downpour to queue for accreditation and voting which was peaceful. However, there was a mild drama when officials announced that they ran out of ink to thumbprint the ballot papers.