INEC Holds Bye-Elections in Ondo, Plateau, Imo And Cross-River

Bye-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is ongoing in Ondo, Plateau, Imo, and Cross Rivers States.

The election in Cross River State is being held in Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency and Akpabuyo State Constituency.

LENS correspondent that is monitoring the by-election for Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency in Cross River reports that there was a large turnout of voters at various polling units in Ogoja and YalaLocal Government Areas.

At St Michael Primary School Ibil Nkum in Ogoja polling unit, 005 where Sen. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe cast his vote at about 9 am, the electorate turned out in large numbers.

Also at Mbube West polling unit 007 Ogoja, voters turned out massively as early as 8:30 am.

In Okuku, Yala Local Government Area the situation was the same as voters turned out in large numbers ready to cast their votes.

At St. Joseph Primary School Okuku 2, which had seven polling units there was a massive voter turnout while the exercise went on smoothly

Speaking to Journalists, the Senior Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade on Political Affairs, Chief Peter Ojie shortly after casting his vote said he was happy that the exercise was peaceful and hitch-free.

Our correspondent gathered that there were no incidences of malfunctioning of the Bio-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in all the polling centers visited.

Another of our journalists reports that at about 10:16 am voting commenced in Akpabuyo State Constituency in Cross River State. Voters are seen at Ikot Ndarake polling unit, Atimbo West in Akpabuyo casting their votes. Voting has also started at the Thomson End polling unit – Okpoma ward.

He said at Primary School Esuk Ekpo Eyo unit 003 in Akpabuyo voting is going on smoothly.

In Ondo State, the bye-election is held in Akure North/Akure South Federal Constituency while in Plateau State voters in Pankshin South State Constituency and Jos North/Bass Federal Constituency are voting new representatives.

Also, Ngor Okpala State Constituency in Imo State will be voting their new representative.

The nonfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) though it is being used is causing a delay at the post office polling unit in Jos, Plateau State. Voters can be seen lamenting. Some of them demand that INEC officials use the manual process of accreditation to avoid delay.

At 10:00 am Voters in Kabong Ward of Post Office polling unit 0054 in Jos lament the late arrival of materials. There’s a long queue of voters growing impatient due to the late arrival of INEC officials and elections materials.

As a result accreditation and voting are now ongoing simultaneously in the Jos North, Bassa Federal House of representatives by-elections where 11 political parties are participating in the polls in Plateau State.

Residents within the affected areas are complying with the state government movement restriction, as only essential workers are visible within the State capital.

At Polling Unit 014, Ward 5 Imerienwe located at Community school Upe, INEC officials were seen getting set to start accreditation. Some voters were also on the ground waiting for the election.

The election is ongoing at the Bassa/Jos North federal constituency though not without some reservations.

In Ondo, seven political parties are participating in the election which will hold in two local governments of Akure South and North federal Constituency.

By 8:20 am voters at Unit 14, Ward 5 Akure South Local Government Area has started turning out at the various polling units to checks their names on the voter register.

Accreditation, Voting is ongoing in some polling units. Voting has started in some polling units in Akure south local government area. At unit 10, ward 2 at the sacred heart cathedral school in Akure, a large number of voters were seen by our reporter on the queue to exercise their franchise.

The early arrival of voting materials was recorded in some of the polling centers in Akure. The People’s Democratic Party candidate in the Akure North and South Federal constituency has lamented the late arrival of voting materials.

Olumuyiwa Adu lamented the late arrival of voting materials in some polling units in the Akure metropolis. Speaking with reporters after voting, Mr. Adu noted that he has received information from some polling units that INEC Adhoc staff have not arrived.

Although he commended early arrival in some centers, he urged the electoral body to look into the issues raised

And for the Imo Assembly by-election, accreditation and voting have commenced at Upe polling units 001 and 014 of Imerienwe in Ngor Okpala local government area for Saturday’s scheduled election.

So far there has not been any record of violence save in a polling unit in Akpabuyo as voters are still coming out to cast their ballot.