By Kola Adeyemi
Abuja – Situation Room , a group observing the ongoing FCT Area Council elections said reports from its networks of observers and partners showed late deployment of personnel and materials across the Federal Capital Territory.
The organisation which is working for credible election in Nigeria made the observation in a statement released in Abuja Saturday afternoon
It said in most Area Councils, INEC officials arrived at an average time of 9.30am except Bwari and Gwagwalada Area Councils, where INEC personnel arrived on time.
Other general observations, according to the Situation Room are confusion over restriction and no restriction of movements caused by conflicting statements issued by the Nigeria Police on the eve of the election.
” In some places, citizens were seen queuing for fuel and others carrying on their business as usual,” the statement said.
The group, however, said it observed adequate and early deployment of security personnel in most polling units.
According to the Situation Room, malfunctioning of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) caused delays in accreditation and voting.
” In most places, the fingerprints did not authenticate voters and there were lots of complaints on the facial detection.
Although, the INEC personnel reported escalation to technicians, there was a slow response to fixing the problem.
Aside this, the organisation said it observed vote buying and selling in some of the polling units.
” In a particular instance at PU 001, Jamb Secretariat, money was thrown into the crowd in the centre of the polling area, leading to security personnel shooting in the air to disperse voters.
” In PU 001, Ministers Gate, Life Camp there was apparent vote buying and selling,” the NGO said.
It also decried inadequate access and lack of assistive materials for persons with disabilities in most polling units.
” In Karon-majigi, a special colony for PWDs, we received reports of a high number of PWDs using skates and the voting cubicles were too high for these sets of voters who had to place the ballot papers on their hands to vote.
” A general low voters turn out and apathy in the urban areas.
” Situation Room notes that voting was slow due to the failure of the BVAS to detect photos and capture fingerprints in many places,”the statement said.
The Situation Room then called on INEC to extend the voting time at PUs where delays have been reported to enable citizens to vote
” Special and urgent attention should also be given to the PUs where the BVAS have been slow and some still not working at the time of this statement to allow citizens waiting patiently to exercise their votes.(vitalnews)
