Two hours after the 8 am scheduled time for the commencement of the 2022 chairmanship and councillorship elections in the Federal capital territory, voting is yet to commence in the 6 area councils. The reason is due to the non-arrival of INEC officials at the various polling units
A visit to most of the centres in Nyanya, Karu, Jikwoyi, Kpeghi, Asokoro Garki and kurudu communities in the Abuja municipal area Council AMAC, showed no presence of men and materials. In some centres, canopies were yet to be erected.
The story was said to be the same in all the other 5 Council areas according to our correspondents
However, security agents made up of police, civil defence and FRSC were seen at the various polling units visited. There was a massive ” show of force” by men of the military and other security agencies around the metropolis ostensibly to ward off criminal elements
A visibly angry party agent Musbau Ismail told BusinessDay newspaper at the Karu civic centre polling unit that he and his colleagues have been waiting for INEC officials since 7a. ” my brother as you can see nothing is happening here. We have been here waiting for them and the materials since 7am till now 9.05am.” He however expressed optimism that the election will hold.
A source told BusinessDay that the delay was due to logistics reasons.
At the INEC state office in Area 10 Garki, youth corpers and other ad-hoc staff were seen last night complaining of non-payment of their allowances. They were said to have been paid this morning
Meanwhile, the restriction of movement earlier announced by the police is not been observed. People and vehicles are moving about freely. Even some shop owners and POS attendants opened for business
The only place blocked are the roads in front of INEC Municipal offices in the 6 area councils
Residents attributed the non-compliance to the no-movement order on conflicting notices issued yesterday by the FCT police command.
The FCT police command had on Thursday announced restriction of movement within the territory today 12 am to 4 pm. But in a dramatic twist, the command cancelled the order.
In a statement issued yesterday by Josephine Adeh, the command spokesperson residents were asked to go about their normal duties.
The statement reads thus ” FCT Police Command relaxes pronounced 12/2/2022 area council election movement restrictions”
“The FCT Police Command has decided to relax the restriction of movement as earlier announced for the Area Council Election scheduled to take place on the 12th February 2022.
Consequently, members of the public are hereby advice to go about their normal legitimate business without the fear of harassment or molestation of any kind from any quarters.
” The Commissioner of Police FCT Police Command CP Babaji Sunday psc. while assuring the members of public of the provision of a water tight security before, during and after the election, urges members of the public to come out in their numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.
“He also calls on residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious or abnormal occurrence to the Police through the following emergency lines: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653”
Although the police later withdraw the statement last night through radio and television announcements, many of the residents claimed oblivious to the announcement.
In all Polling units visited in the Bwari Area Council, voting has not begun due to the late arrival of INEC officials and sensitive materials. BusinessDay understands that voting is supposed to begin at 8:30 am, but as at 9: 30am several polling units are still being set up, and officials are still pasting names for accreditation of voters.
When this reporter visited the Registration Area Centre (RAC)at the Kuduru Ward, it was observed that many officials and sensitive materials are yet to leave the Centre to their respective polling units as at 9:25 am
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Voters, whose turn out was impressive in most of the polling units visited, are already agitating and expressing their concerns over the late commencement of the exercise. They fear that they may be disenfranchised as voting is expected to end 2 pm. Officials said they are overwhelmed with the accreditation process, hence the late commencement.
The polling unit 003 in the Security Gate Ward Bwari were still being set up, even though voters were already queued up as at 8:am. The was no presence of policemen in these units at the time of filing this report.
In Kuchiko polling unit 004, Kuduru Ward, there was an impressive turn out of voters and security operatives. But, like other polling units, voting is yet to commence, voters are still being accredited.
There was drama on this polling unit when an official announced that voters will not be allowed to vote without facemask. The crowd became agitated and insisted that they must vote with or without facemasks.
Meanwhile, it was observed that there was a gross disregard for COVID-19 prevention protocols in all polling units visited.
