Edo Election: How INEC officials Arrived Late in 54% of Polling Units Across Senatorial Districts – Report
It was further noted that at 7:30am only 41% of polling units had INEC officials.
Areport by socio-political platform, YIAGA, has shown that 54% of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials in Edo State arrived later than 7:30 am to the respective polling units for the gubernatorial election.
In an analysis posted on its official X handle, it was noted that in Edo North 68% of INEC officials came later than 7:30am, 58% in Edo South and 38% in Edo central.
This would give an average of 54%.
It was further noted that at 7:30am only 41% of polling units had INEC officials.
As of the time of this report, there have been many reports on X about late arrival of INEC officials to their respective polling units in the ongoing election.
For instance at 9:20am, Polling officials were said to still be awaiting the arrival of buses to convey them to the polling units in Govt Secondary School, Ihama Road, in Oredo LGA @inecnigeria
Distribution of incidence of delayed arrival of @inecnigeria officials and sensitive materials (ballot of papers and results sheets) across the senatorial districts. #EdoDecides2024 #WatchingTheVote pic.twitter.com/DeonMwG3su
— Yiaga Africa (@YIAGA) September 21, 2024
SaharaReporters earlier reported that over 839 registered voters in Ward 7, Unit 39, found themselves waiting for hours after the BIVAS machine failed, bringing the voting process to a halt in the Ugbekun Ward in the ongoing Edo State governorship election.
As they sat around the polling unit, frustration grew among the electorates.
The polling unit official assured voters that a new machine would be brought for the election and expressed hope that voting time would be extended to make up for the lost time.
“It is appalling that the BIVAS machine would fail despite the preparation the INEC put into the exercise,” said a senior citizen, Friday Aiwekhoe.
He further noted, “The problem could be political and a ploy to disenfranchise the people.”
