Unnecessary delays
As at 9.30 a.m in Ward 6 collation centre, with 15 units in Uyo Local Government area, INEC officials were still sorting out materials at St. Michael primary school, Efiat Offot, Abak road, Uyo.
A former commissioner for Science and Technology, in the state, a PDP chieftain, Mr. Samuel Effanga, said the delay could be attributed to the sorting method of the INEC official.
He said voters were already on ground at different polling units of the ward since 7 a.m ready to cast their votes but officials were still in the hall trying to organize electoral materials for distribution to begin.
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Ward 6, Monday Utuk, told the Next Edition that the party was ready and waiting for INEC to kick start the process.
Meanwhile as INEC tried to get organised, voters were seen loitering around at unit 4 as they waited for distribution of electoral materials and commencement of accreditation and voting.
The delay, expectedly affected other polling units within the ward.
Some of the voters expressed disappointment with the delay given that INEC had extra one week to organise itself.
Recall that the Presidential and National Assembly election had been fixed for February 16, but was postponed by INEC due to ‘logistics problems.’
Idongesit Mbong, one of the voters, told The Next Edition that he left his home very early in the morning without food. According to her, she trekked some distance before getting to her unit only to discover that nothing was happening because INEC officials were not yet around.
Mr. Udoh Akpan, said he was shocked that INEC officials were yet to bring materials to their unit as at 10a.m querying the rationale for the postponement.
Geofrey Idiong, was not happy with the tardiness of the INEC officials. He said he was hungry and tired of waiting for officials.
Snacks to the rescue
Meanwhile, as some of the voters expressed their anger and disappointment over the delay, a food vendor opposite St. Michael Primary school, Uyo, witnessed a high patronage as hungry looking people enveloped her space.
Several voters who left their homes early in the morning gathered to grab snacks along the way. They were seen loitering and eating akara balls. Some were seen with loaves of bread and bottles of minerals.
Grace, the akara seller, who was visibly excited with the volume of patronage, thanked God for business.
Good for some, bad for others
When the voting process eventually commenced at Ward 6, at about 11a.m, the card rejected the first five people who tried to vote.
READ ALSO: Nigeria Decides: INEC Officials Arrive Late with Electoral Materials, Delay Voting
Peter Donald, Councillor representing the ward, was however, not worried. He described the exercise as peaceful. “So far, so good; it’s starting very well and I believe it will be peaceful. We are just commencing voting. No complaints. We have been here since 7.am.”
Accusation and Counter-accusation
On a negative note, Sen. Bassey Albert, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, complained that the electoral process in Unit 12, Ward 2, was hijacked by Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters.
According to him, Enang beat up the officials at the unit and took possession of electoral materials.
He, however, said the exercise was “generally peaceful because we have been on ground monitoring the process.”
Senator Albert is contesting against, Bassey Etim, of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
However, in an interview with this newspaper, Mr. Enang dismissed allegations leveled against him by Mr. Albert describing it was as untrue and unfounded.
He accused Sen. Albert of sponsoring attack against him and his supporters. “You can see the extent of brutality around here. My jeep and my bus were attacked by PDP agents and thugs but the security agencies were not there to rescue us. It was later that the security agencies arrived the scene. There was so much violence. In Edem Udua, ward 9, people were accredited but were told to go back. Materials were hijacked.
Security breach
Also, earlier in the day, there had been some apprehension as four vehicles of fully armed police and army personnel stormed the Uyo Collation Centre, accompanying Chris Ekong of the APC.
Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Charles Udoh, while speaking with journalists at the Centre said he was taken aback by the invasion as it was contrary to the directive of the Inspector-General of Police who announced withdrawal of security aides to government functionaries. “I was shocked at the audacity of the occupant of the newly painted police vehicles and the speed they used to drive into the collation centre. They came in, monitored the proceedings and drove away.
“What shocked me was the fact that even my security aides were withdrawn. But here was Chris Ekong being escorted by security operatives into the collation centre,” Mr. Udoh said.
However, he expressed strong belief in the electoral process and affirmed that his party, PDP, will carry the day.
