Accreditation of voters did not start at Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s polling unit-Code 33, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos during Saturday’s Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly Election.
Also, the same situation was observed at the Femi Okunnu Polling Unit, Ward 9, where the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was scheduled to vote.
At Osinbajo’s unit, ad-hoc officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were yet to arrive by 9.05 a.m.
However, the residents of VGC led by their Chairman, Mr Adetokunbo Ladega, were seen making arrangements toward registering the few voters who had turned out to exercise their civic responsibilities.
Voting did not start at the same polling unit during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly Elections until about 9.45a.m.
Osinbajo, who arrived at the unit at 10:28 a.m. on February 23 voted at 10:53a.m. , while the Presidential Candidate of the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Mr Fela Durotoye, also voted at the same polling unit by 12.11p.m.
Meanwhile, at Ward E, Eti-Osa Local Government Area, INEC ad-hoc staff and electoral materials were already on ground in most of the polling units at about 8.05a.m.
Also, some voters who turned out for the election were seen waiting for voting and accreditation to begin.
Also, there was delay in the commencement of voting during the Gubernatorial and State Houses of Assembly in some parts of Ikoyi.
At Femi Okunnu polling unit, Ward 9, where Sanwo-Olu was scheduled to vote, voting had not started at 8:15a.m., while filling this report.
It was learned that election materials and officials were at the unit as early as 7.35a.m., but INEC officials could not accredit intending voters due to the non availability of stamps.
One of the polling officers said that voting would commence as soon as they received INEC stamp to authenticate the ballot papers.
Similarly, voting had not started at polling units 004 and 005, Ward 9 because INEC officials had not received INEC stamp as at the time of filling this report.
Intending voters were, however, on the queue waiting for voting to commence.
One of them, Mr Victor Oso, said that they started arriving the polling centres since 7.25a.m.
“We have been here since morning but voting hasn’t started because of the inability of INEC stamp.
“ You can see that some of the voters are sleeping already but we will be patient till the voting starts,” he said.
However, voting had commenced at Polling Unit 006, Ward 9 and intending voters were orderly.
Also, some of the European Union election observers were around the polling unit and were observing the conduct of intending voters and INEC officials.
