Akwa Ibom LG polls: Voters stranded at polling units as materials yet to arrive

By Maxwell Nwafor, Akwa-ibom

Voters who arrived at various polling units in Akwa Ibom State to vote their candidate at the state local government elections have expressed dismay that election materials are yet to arrive up till 11am.

The Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission, AKISIEC had announced that accreditation and voting would start by 8am and possibly end by 2:30pm or when the last person on the queue votes.

However, at 11:05 when our correspondent visited some of the polling units in Uyo metropolis and Itu local government, election materials were yet to arrive and few voters especially women were seen chatting while young boys were just playing football on the road.

At unit 2 ward 11, village council hall of Atai Ibiaku, Itu local government area of the state, pastor Gideon Edidem regretted that even three hours behind schedule, AKISIEC was yet to bring election materials.

“AkISIEC is not matured like INEC, despite all the preparations and assurances, nothing has happened untill this moment. We are here waiting for them, we learnt that they’ve not even left the office.”

A Seventy Five year old Augusta Edem who came out to vote at the village hall decried the late arrival of materials.

At Unit 001 ward 14, Uyo local government, no electoral officer or police officer was seen in the area but only voters who were in clusters discussing.

Rita Archibong, the unit Coordinator told journalists that they would wait till materials arrive.