Accreditation of voters for Presidential and National Assembly elections in Kano State have started in some polling units in Madobi, Gwale, Ungogo Local Government Area with large turnout of electorate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exercise began at 8:23 a.m.
Also, the Presiding Officer (PO) at Malami, Salid Kabir, told NAN that the BVAS machine is functional with voters being accredited and also voting immediately at about 8:45am in some polling units in Madobi LGA.
At ward Malami, Tandu areas, the exercise is going on smoothly and so far 15 persons cast their votes as at 9:15 am.
Mamood Sani, the Presiding Officer at Malami, also said the BVAS is fast in accrediting voters before voting properly.
The late arrival of election materials and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials led to the slow start for the Presidential and National Assembly elections in some polling units in Ungogo local government areas of Kano.
NAN reports that INEC officials and security agents had not yet arrived as at 8:55 am. as only domestic observers and voters were seen in Rimin Gata Primary School polling units.
At Polling units 014, 015 and 043 at Rijiyar Zaki Ward 7, male voters and party agents were seen awaiting the arrival of INEC officials.
Malam Usman Umar, a voter, told NAN he had been waiting at the scene since 7.00 a.m.
“We have been here for almost two hours and there is no signs of security agents, INEC officials and voting materials”
Zubaida Jibrin, an observer for YIAGA Africa, told NAN she was surprised that the INEC officials and security agents are yet to arrive the polling units.
“We were at Rijiyar Zaki Ward yesterday and the INEC officials told us that they slept at Rijiyar Zaki and it is unfortunate that they have not yet arrived at Rimin Gata polling units.
Arabi Sani, party agent for the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), said he was surprised that INEC officials had not arrived as at the time of this report.
At Gwale LGA in Dorayi Karma polling unit, accreditation did not commence as at 8:25 am, due to the non payment of officials’ allowances.
“We will not allow INEC officials to transport materials to other units unless they paid us N4,000 allowances One of the official told newsmen in Dorayi Karama.
NAN reports that there was large turnout of eligible voters awaiting to exercise there civil rights.
Mr Abdulsamat Ishaku, a polling officer at Dorayi Karama, told NAN that at about 8:32 am all the materials needed for the conduct of the exercise were made available. (NAN)
