Paul Osuyi, Asaba
A cross section of voters in Asaba, Delta State has expressed anxiety over the delay in the commencement of the voting exercise.
At Ward 09 of Oshimili South LGA, Uzoigwe Primary School, witnessed high turnout but officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were still sorting materials for distribution to units.
There were commercial buses at the school waiting to take materials to the polling units as at 8:50am.
According to an enthusiastic voter, Ngozi Okolotu, materials arrived the ward at about 3.00am but INEC officials failed to commence sorting and distribution immediately.
“Now look at what we have on our hands; people are waiting to exercise their franchise yet INEC is not ready. It is almost 9:am. We don’t know if this is a ploy to stagger the election,” Okolotu said.
But two INEC officers at the ward, StellaMarris Ogbemuo and Ifeoma Nekua, said there was no cause for alarm, noting that voting would start as soon as possible.
However at ward 04 in Asaba Primary School, materials were being moved to units under the ward when our correspondent visited at 8.55am. Ad-hoc staff of INEC mostly corps members were setting up their respective cubicles in preparation for the voting.