Thugs Set Ballot Box On Fire in Lagos
Scores of armed thugs besieged some polling units in the Oshodi and Itire areas of Lagos, setting some ballot papers and boxes on fire.
The thugs who were all dressed in black and masked, arrived the area around 11.30 am on Saturday. Some voters, who could not run away when the thugs arrived were injured.
Sources said the armed thugs, later went round the area, minutes after some security personnel on election duty left their duty post.
According to Tajudeen Haruna, minutes later, the thugs opened fire and scared voters away.
“It was later that the thugs set the ballot box and some materials on fire,” he said.
Similarly, some thugs stormed Itire area, around 12pm, scaring away voters from the different polling units in the area.
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James Nwoke, alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise non-indigenes in the state.
Peter Obi laments omission of party logo on ballot papers
Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has expressed his dismay over the exclusion of the party’s logo on the ballot papers that were dispatched to some states.
Obi, who cast his vote in the Agulu region of Aniocha Local Government Area in Anambra State, said that he had hoped that Nigeria would have followed the example of other smaller African nations, where photographs of the candidates are featured on the ballot papers.
Speaking to reporters, Obi stated that it was surprising that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not have pictures of the presidential candidates, despite the fact that there are only 18 candidates in the race. “We expected the ballot paper to show clearly the LP sign but it wasn’t there. Someone told me that in some states, the logo is completely missing. I am worried and I don’t know how it should be,” he said.
Obi went on to add that he believed Nigeria should have been following the lead of smaller African nations like Ghana, where the names and photographs of the candidates, as well as their respective political parties, are boldly displayed on the ballot papers.
“After all, it is only 18 of us that are contesting. They should have had our pictures. I am not complaining, it is the process,” he said.
Police teargas voters in A-Ibom, as thugs destroy INEC materials
Voting stopped abruptly in Unit 1, Ward 10, Ikot Ebom Primary School, Itu local government area in Akwa-Ibom state following a fracas allegedly perpetrated by an agent of the PDP as voters and INEC officials reportedly scampering for safety.
The police official attached to the unit overwhelmed by the pandemonium entered a motorcycle and left the voters to their fate.
Trouble reportedly started when agents of the PDP in the unit allegedly blocked loyalists of other parties from voting for their candidates.
A voter who did not want his name in print explained that other voters on the queue when they observed what was happening insisted that they should be allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice but were not allowed.
In an attempt to fight back, the suspected PDP thugs allegedly overpowered the voters thereby causing pandemonium in the unit.
The female police officer left the unit earlier, and came back with her colleagues who released several canisters of teargas on the voters who have since dispersed to their various homes.
In Etim Ekpo local government area, election materials meant for some units were reportedly destroyed by suspected thugs at the popular Urua Anwa junction.
Suspected thugs hijack ballot boxes in Gwagwalada, Abuja
Suspected thugs have snatched ballot boxes at Dagiri Polling Unit, Gwagwalada centre few hours before the voting deadline.
An eyewitness, simply identified as Cecelia, said the thugs, five in number, were unarmed but came wielding sticks and knives.
She noted that the attack was after a good number of persons in the area had voted.
She said, “I was standing here when Five guys with sticks and knives to destroy the ballot boxes and everybody ran away. They used sticks to hit the ballot boxes and left.”
Another resident said the thugs could carry out the attack because no security official was attached to the area.
The PUNCH reports that since the incident security patrol has increased in the area amidst heavy security presence.
Thugs snatch BVAS machines in Kastina, Delta
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed that thugs snatched Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines in Delta and Katsina States.
The INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, revealed this on Saturday while briefing journalists at the collation centre, Abuja on the ongoing general elections.
Yakubu said reports from the process nationwide indicated that there have been some challenges.
He, however, noted that challenges include problems of logistics and insecurity.
Nigeria Decides: I have been disenfranchised by INEC – Actress, Kate Henshaw
Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw has called out the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for disenfranchising her and twenty others in her polling unit.
In a video shared on her Twitter handle, the actress lamented that she could not cast her vote because the BVAS says she is not registered.
Henshaw explained further that she found her name on the register on the wall and the INEC register. However, she can’t vote. She called on the person in charge of INEC in Lagos to find a quick solution to the problem.
While stating that she won’t take things easy with INEC for playing with her destiny, the actress also called on international media organisations like BBC and CNN to note what is happening in Nigeria.
