Some voters at 007 Polling Unit in Wuse District Ward of Abuja criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the late commencement of Saturday’s elections.
Some of the voters who spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that as at 8.30 a.m., INEC officials were yet to arrive at the polling unit but security men could be seen at strategic locations ensuring law and order.
Also, voters took numbers on arrival to ensure orderliness ahead of accreditation.
Mr Elemchukwu Onouha, 65 years old, told NAN that he was excited and was eagerly awaiting the outcome of the election.
According to him, “it is a long expected election; it has many things different from the ones we have hard in the past.”
He said INEC had tried to cope with the demands, expressing hope that the officials would arrive soon.
“This is the first time the number of major candidates contesting for the seat of the president is more than two.
“It is a day we are thinking that we will get the democratic process in Nigeria right by seeing people coming out to vote, we are full of expectations,” he said.
Also, Mr Henry Tersoo a voter and an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the increment in the number of polling units could be responsible for the late arrival of INEC officials.
He said Wuse Ward previously had 35 polling units but now had over 100 polling units, saying that in previous elections agents reported as early as 6.00 a.m. to polling units and by 7.00 a.m., officials had arrived.
“But this time around, I do not know how they are going about the logistics but I am sure any moment from now, they will arrive.
“Besides, Wuse Ward is a very big ward, initially we had about 34 polling units but now they are over 100 so you have to mobilise.
“I am not exonerating INEC; I blame them. If they had done their homework well, this election should have started on time.
“We do not want crowd, the plan is vote and go but now, see the crowd gathering,” he said. (NAN)
