Former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed disappointment over the late arrival of election materials to his Polling Unit 39, Ward 13, in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area (LGA) of Bayelsa.
Jonathan, who was expecting to cast his vote, stepped out of his house at 8:30 a.m., but met only journalists as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were yet to arrive at the venue.
“Are you an electoral officer, where are they?” The former president asked a journalist at the venue.
“Well this is where I will vote, but since they are not here yet, let me go back inside.
“You see now, youths of nowadays, you need to do more,” he stated.
Later, Jonathan and his wife, Patience, voted at 11.30 a.m., while his wife voted at 11.35 a.m.
Ward 13 is made up of five communities of Otuoke, Otuaba, Ewoi, Otuabula 1 and Otuabula 2.
In his remarks after voting, Jonathan expressed dissatisfaction over the lateness of the arrival of the materials to the polling units.
He said: “We must conduct ourselves if we want to really bring people to rule us either as president or governors.
“Nigerians are always blaming people in authorities and the leaders, so here they must blame themselves.
“Look at even this voting, I was around earlier, but the materials had yet to arrive in the polling unit.
“I have led election monitoring teams to other African countries, we use to go 30 minutes before the time and in our reports, we indicate the exact time when the vote started.
“So, for election to start after that time it is an indictment to the electoral body that manages election, there is no reason here election should not start by 8 a.m.
“So, even the youth should stop blaming old people, you blame yourselves and do things properly.
“I am really disappointed on what I observe today compared to other African countries I monitor elections’’.
