Naomi Titus, a visually-impaired voter from Kulo polling unit in Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe State has decried the absence of Braille voter slips in the Presidential and National Assembly elections in her polling unit.
She told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday after casting her vote with support of her sister that it was really difficult for her.
Titus said she would have been disenfranchised if not for her elder sister who also came to vote but ended up assisting her to vote for her preferred candidates.
She advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make provisions for visually-impaired voters to avoid disenfranchising them.
She, however, added that “I am happy I voted at last as I had to use the normal voter slip with assistance from my sister.”
Read also: Voting exercise continues across various polling units in Kuje despite instructions
On his part, Alhaji Ali Isa, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Balanga/Billiri Federal Constituency, said the process had been peaceful so far.
Isa said that although there were reports of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System (BVAS) device having issues in some polling units which were rectified, voting had continued without any hitch.
He said that “apart from that, we are satisfied and we commend the electoral body for improving on previous elections.”
Mrs Marina Maliya, a People’s Redemption Party (PRP) candidate contesting for Kaltungo/Shongom Federal Constituency who cast her vote at Galadima 010 polling unit in Kaltungo also commended the process.
Maliya said the peaceful nature of the process is a good sign that the election went well.
The PRP candidate commended women for coming out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent who visited some polling units in Balanga and Billiri local government areas of Gombe State, reports that there was a large turnout of women.
Some were seen in long queues backing their babies, waiting patiently for their turns to cast their votes.
Also, in Cham community, some traders were seen at the roadside market displaying their goods for sale, especially those selling vegetables and drinks, while some youths were seen sitting under trees discussing.
