Voters in Chanchaga Local Government Area in units 016 and 019 Tudun Wada South Ward of Niger have cried concern over the missing of their names in the Voters’ List displayed for verification.
This had led to chaos as some voters were running helter-skelter, looking for their names at various polling units at the Tudun Wada South Ward.
The voters said the list of names on display were those that began from alphabet A to M., adding that names beginning from O to Z were compiscously missing from the list.
The affected voter’s expressed dismay over the omission, saying that they were in the right polling units and had voted there over the years but yet to find their names on the list currently.
A Director with National Examinations Council NECO, Mr Kokoh Bartholomew, said he came all the way from Nasarawa to vote but could not find his name.
“I am going round the units to see if I will find my name but I am yet to see my name, in the past I did not mind whether I voted oŕ not but this time, I must vote, I am determined,” he said.
Similarly Mrs Ojo Deborah said she arrived at Tudun Wada South Ward, Unit 019, but found out that her name was missing from the list.
“I have made efforts in going round the units in the wards as advised by ad hoc staff of INEC but I am yet to see my name.
“The list they have here is from A to M and alphabet O to Z are missing on the list of names on display,” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Josephine Hope-Paul who moved from one polling unit to another, said she had been sunbathed in a bid to find her name but all efforts seemed futile.
“I want to urge INEC to be more organised; they should address us and tell us where to go and find our names, a good number of us are here frustrated because we are yet to find our names talk less of voting,” she said.
Earlier at Tudun Wada South Ward, electoral materials and ad hoc staff of INEC did not arrive on time due to logistic issues.
The Presiding Officer, Hafsat Hassan, said the delay was due to lack of water for about 150 of them at Registration Area Centre (RAC) at New Tudun Wada Primary School.
” No water here, virtually many of us did not bathe; searching for water is one of the things that delayed us, even if the electoral materials were given to us by 7 a.m. we also had to count and sign what we received.
” It is no joke for 150 presidng officers to take delivery and sign,” she said.
However, Mr Stanley Ajea, a Pharmacist, who has disability in both legs, commended INEC for recognising people living with disabilities.
“I thank them for the preference they gave us to vote first, I thank everyone for the respect they have for the old by giving them prompt attention, especially the sick.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that there were large turnout at Tudun Wada South Ward but electoral materials and presidng officers and their assistants arrived late.
NAN also reports that the BVAS machine value as at the first voter was 0 and the first vote was cast by 9:50 a.m. at Tudun Wada South Ward unit 016.
