The council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have recorded some problems, which majority of the voters are not happy about.
Aproko247 gathered that three of the major flaws recorded so far are low voters’ turnout, card reader failure and late arrival of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, who are to conduct the polls.
Movement of persons and vehicles have been restricted in Abuja from 8am to 4pm and over one million voters are to take part in the exercise.
It was learnt that at Jikwoyi II/Tokka Village, a major polling unit at the Jikwoyi football field, the card reader malfunctioned frequently, forcing officials to resort to the filling of incidence forms by voters. This, Aproko247 learnt, has caused delay.
Anxious voters spent hours in the queue due to the slow process, added to the fact that officials arrived around 9am, one hour behind schedule.
At some polling units, there was voter apathy, voters feeling that the council polls were not as important as presidential or National Assembly elections.
For example, at Jikwoyi 17-B polling unit, not a single voter had turned up for accreditation as of 10am, though INEC officials were already on their seats.
INEC said voters are expected to immediately cast their votes after being accredited. INEC also said 13 political parties are participating in the process.
