Voting Suffers Slow Accreditation, Late Arrival Of Materials, ApathyTHOUGH yesterday's governorship election in Kogi was generally peaceful, many towns in the state remained tensed hours after the polls as results were being expected. Residents of the state generally feared that politicians and their henchmen may resort to violence if the results do not favour them.Some residents yesterday expressed fear that the seeming invasion of the state by politicians and suspected political thugs, especially from Abuja and Lagos, could lead to fracas in the aftermath of the election.However, the huge deployment of security operatives present some measure of assurance that any resulting crises would be contained. Also, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, claimed that there were adequate provision for safety oflife and property.However, voters in the East Senatorial District of Kogi State were accredited earlyin themorning, even as electoral materials arrived late in some parts of the state.Although the situation in Kogi West was similar, accreditation, which started early at 8am, however foot-dragged until 1 pm, thus pushingactual voting to 1:30pm, about an hour behind the scheduled time of 12:30pm.This was evident in two polling units' Crowther Collegeand PHCN frontage ' with thick population of prospective voters.However, compared to last April's general elections, there was voter-apathy recorded in Lokoja, the state capital city.The exercise was generally peaceful in Kabbabunu, Mopamuro, Ijumu, Yagba East and Yagba West local government councils. Mobile policemen and soldiers deployed to trouble zones like Kabba and Okene were literally on holiday, as they paraded the streets.Atunit 03 in Isaba/Ijagan Ward inYagba West Council, several prospective voters, mainly elderly women,who turned up for accreditation asearly as 9am could not achieve their aim, as theirslots in thevoter register were marked 'invalid registrants.'TheYouth Corps member attached to the unit explained toThe Guardian that the problem stemmed from fingerprint errors recordedduring registration.The state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, was accredited at about 10:30am at Abejukolo Ward 1, Unit 001 where the electoral materials arrived on time.The PDP governorship candidate, Capt. Idris Wada, was accredited at about 10:30am at Ogboyaga, Odu Ward 1 in Dekina Local Government Area.Prince Abubakar Audu of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)was accredited in Ogbonicha-Alloma in Ofu Local Government Area.Mr. James Ocholi of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and Elder Obollo Okpanachi of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) were accredited in Ogbabede, Dekina and Ofakaga in Ofu Local Governments, respectively.Distribution of electoral materials for the election commenced as early as 6:30am in many parts of Kogi East senatorial district.In Okpo, Olamaboro Local Government, INEC officials were seen taking the materials away to their various polling units at 6:55am.Mr. Hassan Mohammed, the Electoral Officer for the local government, told reporters that materials for the 124 polling units in the area had been distributed to the polling clerks for onward movement to their respective units.In Dekina local government where three contenders in the race ' Wada, Ocholi, and Mrs. Audu come from, distribution started at about 7am but the materials only got to the units at about 10:30am.The electoral officer for the local government, Mr. Johnson Bagudu, said they encountered some logistics challenges in conveying the materials at the beginning but later overcame the hitches.In Idah, Ofu, Igalamela and Ibaji local governments, distribution of the materials started at between 7am and 8:30am and they got to the polling units at between 9am and 10:30am.The INEC officer in charge of Omala and Ofu councils, Godwin Kwanga, said the election was going on smoothly and that no violence was recorded.He said the late arrival of materials was due to the difficult terrain of eastern axis of the state.While Governor Idris said no violence was recorded yet and prayed that the exercise would continue peacefully till the end, he was upbeat that the PDP would claim victory.He said the election was a matter of choice, adding that the electorate knew who would serve them better among the contestants.Early Results:PDP Leads In Yagba West, Mopamuro, Kabbabunu, Bassa, Dekina, Idah, Igalamela, Omala, Okene, Okehi, Ajaokuta, OgorimagongoACN Leads In Lokoja (Township), Ijumu, Adavi, Olamaboro.OUTSTANDING: Ofu, Yagba East, Kotonkarfe, Ibaji, Ankpa
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