Accreditation of voters could not take place to pave way for the early commencement of voting during the supplementary election in Ihiala local government area of Anambra on Tuesday.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the Anambra governorship election inconclusive on Sunday after no votes were cast in Ihiala LG, necessitating the conduct of a supplementary election.
INEC had said polling units would be opened for accreditation and voting by 10: am.
In some of the polling units monitored by our correspondents, accreditation of voters took place well past 11: am in some polling units, while actual voting started much later.
At the Uzokwa Ward 3, electoral materials were still being sorted out at about 12pm, while ad-hoc staff were not on ground in Abobot Girls Secondary School as at 12pm.
The deputy speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Patrick Agbodike cast his vote at PU10 RA 20, Mbosi at about 12:48pm.
Agbodike decried the late commencement of the exercise even as he called for patience and understanding from the voters.
It was gathered that Senator Victor Umeh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was reportedly denied access to the Ihiala Local Government headquarters by the Army deployed to secure the area.
Umeh is the APGA’s state agent for the governorship election.
He was said to have arrived at the LG HQ at about 10:30 am accompanied by other party members, when he was turned away.
