[FILES] Delta State
Non availability of ink has delayed accreditation and voting for over four hours in some polling units in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Are of Delta, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
As at 12.noon, the exercise had yet to commence in Ward 3 Ogwashi-Uku where an INEC ad hoc staff, who gave her name simply as Juliet, said there was no ink for stamping of result sheets and thumb printing.
“We arrived here at about 8:55 am, but could not commenced accreditation and voting due to unavailability of ink for stamping of result sheets and thumb printing.
“We have sent a message to our supervisor, but did not get immediate response and that is why the voters are complaining.
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“However, we made efforts on our own and that is why we are starting late,” she said.
A voter, Mr. Emmanuel Okoh, told NAN that INEC should be held responsible for the delay in voting.
According to him, INEC has failed Nigerians again by not providing the necessary logistics to ensure a hitch-free election.
Okoh said: “This is unacceptable. How can we be talking of lack of ink on an election day? What do you call that?
“If I may ask, did INEC not prepare for this election before now?
NAN reports that many voters left in anger after waiting on the queue for hours.
However, accreditation and voting finally started at about 12: 35 pm, after the intervention of a good Samaritan, Mr Emmanuel Ashinze who later provided ink.
Ashinze, the President-General of the Ogwashi-Uku Development Association (ODA), expressed disappointment over the development.
“It is so disappointing that we are talking about lack of ink today. This is a big flop on the part of INEC,” he said
Attempts to reach the Head of Voter Education and Publicity of INEC in Delta, Mr Bukola Ojeme, for comments proved abortive as he did not pick his calls.
