Electorates chase INEC officials away from polling unit in Niger state

Electorates in  in Anguwan Sani Polling Unit (011), Egwa-Gwada
Ward in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State have chased
officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission away from
their polling unit.

It was reported by Vanguard that over 900 voters are angry that INEC refused to send voting materials to their unit because it cannot conduct election there because of only 15 voters have PVC. The people claim that of the 963 eligible voters which had their Temporary Voter cards, only  15 got their Permanent Voter Cards.

The
Electoral Officer in Shiroro LGA, Isah Idakwo, said the 15 people with
PVCs at the unit mattered to the Commission, adding that a vote can make
the difference.

According to Idakwo: “We sent our men there but
they chased them away and we can’t afford to endanger any of our
officials’ life.

“There is no immediate solution to that place for now, but we are trying to see how we can accommodate these people.

“Our challenge now is that we have given the names of the 15 eligible voters to Stakeholders.

“We will find it extremely difficult to reverse the initial number because doing that will be flaunting the electoral law.

“In Niger State, we have 20 polling units with same challenge.

“It is not peculiar to them alone.

“It is not our fault, neither theirs.

“I will advice that the 15 people be allowed to vote because even only one vote can make a difference.”

Idakwo
however said it is not a deliberate act, adding: “INEC sent workers
there but they were sent back but if they change their minds we will ask
our workers to go back there and make sure the 15 people vote.”

Speaking
to our correspondent, the Youth Leader of the area, Mohammed Ibrahim
Gwada, said: “We are surprised that only 15 PVCs were gotten from the
second highest polling unit in Egwa-Gwada ward.

“When we came out this morning, we were surprised because there were no materials for us to exercise our rights.

“We do not know why elections still won’t hold here.

“When
I asked the Supervising Officer this morning why there are no
materials, he said the ratio of the people that got PVCs is less and
that INEC cannot disenfranchise the remaining 948 eligible voters in the
unit.

“We feel so bad now because we have been disenfranchised by INEC.

“We are not happy about it.

“We in Egwa-Gwada ward have the highest voters in Niger State.

“Kwakwa unit has the highest number of voters with 1,324.”

At
the Rest House Polling Units in Egwa-Gwada Ward of Shiroro Local
Government Area of Niger State, accreditation started exactly 8:30am as
Voters trooped out en masse.

Expressing dismay over the development, the Head of Angwa Sani community, said: “INEC deceived us.

“They promised and assured us that they will bring our PVCs before election date but they have succeeded in disenfrachising us.”

He
however said that the community will lead a protest to INEC office so
that the Commission can tell them the next plan it has for the people of
the Unit.