Late arrival of materials, voters delay Rivers LG election

Late turnout of voters and election materials was observed in several polling units at Woji Ward 6 in Obio/Okpor area of Rivers State during Saturday’s local government election in the state.

As of 10:45 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2024, election materials were yet to arrive at the polling units.

At polling units 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, 16, 29, and 30, accreditation has not started, with only a few voters present, waiting in anticipation to cast their ballots.

Some voters, along with a few party agents, were seen discussing the election while awaiting the arrival of materials.

Rivers LG election: Police actions conform with court order, says IGP

There was no visible presence of security agencies at the polling units due to a Federal High Court order restraining the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from participating in the election.

The Presiding Officer of Polling Unit 29 at Alcon Gate in Woji, David Mathew, said his team arrived at 6:30 a.m. but was still waiting for the election materials.

“We are still expecting the materials; as soon as they arrive, accreditation and voting will commence,” Mathew said.

A voter, Victor Jaja, expressed hope for a smooth and transparent process despite the delay in the arrival of election materials.

Jaja attributed the low voter turnout to the political crisis leading up to the election.

Another voter, who identified herself as Adeki, expressed confidence in the process and hoped the election would reflect the will of the people.

“The environment has been calm since I arrived here; this gives me confidence that the process will be smooth,” she added.

The Star