Real reasons over 5,000 registered voters couldn’t vote in the affected upscale Victoria Garden City area of Lagos – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the governorship and assembly elections in VGC, Lagos, till tomorrow.
Platforms Africa reports that over 5,000 registered voters are affected in the 10 polling units in the upscale Victoria Garden City area of Lagos.
Mr. Segun Agbaje, the INEC commissioner in Lagos, announced the development.
Agbaje said the election will commence by 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.
The postponement happened after the electorate at VGC refused to vote outside the estate.
The electorate said they have always cast their vote within the estate and questioned why their polling units were moved outside the estate.
They argued and refused to vote outside the estate, saying it exposes them to intimidation and harassment by political thugs.
Agbaje, however, rushed to VGC. He addressed the electorate and assured them that there will be no harrassment.
Mr Agbaje said that the commission’s ad hoc staff set up voting materials in front of the estate on Saturday but the estate residents claimed that hoodlums might disrupt the process, so they did not feel secure and could not cast their votes outside the estate.
He said the situation was difficult for security agents to contain, hence, he and his team had to come to the area.
“We have eight polling units here with 6,024 registered voters and out of which 5,624 people have their PVCs,” he said, adding that two other polling units at the estate’s main gate were also affected. “Eight here (in the estate) and two outside,” he noted.
“After due consultation and further directive from the national headquarters (we resolved) that we should remobilise here tomorrow (Sunday) morning by 08:30 a.m. to conduct the elections.
“By 08:30 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday), we will reconvene here.”
While confirming that the chairman of the security committee of the estate had assured the commission of the safety of corps members and INEC staff and voters, Mr Agbaje said the last person in the queue by 2.30 p.m. will be allowed to vote on Sunday.
