Late arrival of election materials and low turnout of voters characterised Saturday’s local council poll in parts of Delta.
It was reported that some of the few voters who turned out at the polling units expressed disappointment over the late arrival of voting materials.
It was reported that as at 12.45 p.m. voting materials had yet to arrive the three polling units in Ward 3, Nnabuwa Primary School, Ogwashi-Uku.
A retired teacher, Mr Harry Obi, criticised the overall arrangement made for the election.
“You can imagine that many of us have been here since 8.30 a.m. just to exercise our civic rights.
“Look at what is happening here; ther is no material yet, and no polling officer in sight.
“This is why many people don’t like to waste their time coming out on election days, because the system is always disappointing,” Obi said.
Mr Onochie Okolie, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polling agent, said that though the delay was disappointing, accreditation and voting were going on smoothly.
“Although there was delay which is actually disappointing, the officials are here now and everything is going well now.
“As you can see, the voters are being accredited and they are casting their voters at the same time to save time,” Okolie said.
Mr Okolie Kingsley, the All Progressives Congress (APC) agent for unit 10, Ward 3 Ogwashi-Uku, also expressed satisfaction with the late beginning of voting in the unit.
“We have been here since morning, waiting for the electoral officials to come, so now that they are here, and the process has commenced, we are glad.
“The most important thing is that voting is going on and there is peace here. So the voters can cast their votes in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.
At Ward 3, Units 12 and 13, Umuneze Town Hall, Ogwashi-Uku, a handful of voters were seen around waiting for the electoral officials to arriveat about 10.45 a.m.
Meanwhile Mr Jossy Eze, the Chairman of Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, has expressed concern over the unimpressive turnout of voters during the council poll.
had called on electorates to come out and vote for the people of their choice.
Eze who is also the Chairman of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (FOSIECON) expressed his concern at Uzoigwe Primary School, Ward 10, Asaba on Saturday while observing the exercise.
According to him, the turnout of voters was not impressive.
“Though there was a massive turnout but if you look at the numbers on the register, the number of people on ground is not up to the numbers in the register,” he said.
He however called on the electorate to endeavou to vote for the people of their choice.
At Asagba Primary School, Ward 8, Oni Primary School, Cable Point, Ward 10 both in Asaba, the exercise was peaceful though with unimpressive turnout of voters. (NAN)
In Unit 1, Ward 5, Tawari, Patani, voters were seen in clusters waiting for the materials for exercise to arrive.
In other communities such as Agoloma, Bulu-Angiama, Aven, Koloware, the situation was same experience.
Speaking with NAN in Patani, a serving councilor, Mr Appah Appah, said voters were waiting for the materials to arrive.
At the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) in Ayama office, the Chief ELectoral Officer for Patani LGA, Mr Okei Ovedge, was not available to comment on the situation.
In Units 15, 16 and 17, College of Education, Asaba, election materials arrived at about 10.03 a.m.
