[FILES] Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf speaks during a news conference at the Presidential Palace in Monrovia, Liberia October 12, 2017. REUTERS/Thierry Gouegnon
The Head of ECOWAS Election Observer Mission to Nigeria, Madam Ellen Jonhson Sirleaf, is leading a delegation of ECOWAS election monitors to some polling centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sirleaf led her team to the Durumi II Primary School polling centre with eight voting points to monitor the conduct of Saturday’s Presidential and national Assembly elections in the country.
Sirleaf, who arrived the polling centre at about 8.55 a.m waited patiently until the first female voter, Mrs Comfort Akale, cast the first ballot of the polling unit at about 9.50 a.m.
The head of the ECOWAS election observer mission depart the polling unit at 10.05 a.m without a word to newsmen.
NAN also reports that the polling centre was crowded due to the large turnout of eligible voters.
However, some voters have expressed their disappointment over the delay in the commencement of the exercise.
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They attributed the delay on the inability of INEC officials to arrive the venue on time.
Mr Daniel Chukwu, expressed his dismay over the late commencement of voting.
“ I came here since 7.30 a.m and this is 10.40 a.m we have not made any progress,” he said.
Mrs Ailemen Edith, a voter, told NAN that she was unable to cast her vote as at 10.35 a.m due to the problem she had in transferring her voter’s card from Wuse II to Durumi II polling unit.
“I transferred my voter registration point from Wuse II to Durumi II in 2018, only to find out that my name is not captured in Durumi voters register.
“Though, I am not the only one that is affected but the INEC officials told us to stay aside, that they will attend to us later,” she said.
NAN also reports that the card reader machines are working perfectly at the Durumi polling unit as at 9.50 a.m.
However, only NYSC corps members were at the Apo Legislative Quarters polling unit as no INEC official was on ground to monitor the arrangement of both sensitive and non-sensitive materials when NAN crew visited the venue as at about 7.30 a.m.
Eligible voters have already queued up waiting for the commencement of the accreditation and voting process at 8 a.m.
Meanwhile, various party agents have taken stock of the materials and the ballot boxes, while accreditation and voting was yet to commence at 8.30 a.m at the Apo Legislative Quarters.
