Voters at various polling units, including the 052 Polling Unit, Rock Haven, Utan, Satellite market, Agwan Mata, Agaldama, and others, have experienced disenfranchisement due to the refusal of INEC officials to distribute sensitive materials for the rerun election.
As of the latest report, a situation has escalated, with one NYSC member, Juliet Nyanga, and two ad-hoc staff being held hostage.
The INEC officials have been accused of preventing the affected individuals from resolving the issue themselves.
The disenfranchised voters are adamant, stating that they will not release the detained individuals until the missing materials are provided.
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According to the Corps member, “When I was here in the morning, I observed the ballot papers were not complete. I was given 1,728 ballot papers for the Senate which is complete but there was none for the House of Representatives. I complained to my SPO and I was told to wait which I did. After some time, I went back to complain and called the attention of other officials but nothing was done.
“I was not the only one in the situation but I am speaking for myself. After some time, I was given 100 pieces of the House of Representatives and told to go and start the process so that the rest would be brought. When I resumed here, I informed the people but they insist that they will not vote.”
An INEC ad hoc staff, Stephine Oche said they were shouted down at the INEC office by their supervisor when they raised the issue of incomplete sensitive materials.
A voter, Hannah Anthony stated, “INEC deliberately disenfranchised us. This is at 4 pm and we have not voted. I came here at 8 am, and the Corps member told us that when she went to the office they gave her materials for the Senate the Senate was complete 1,728 but for the House of Representatives, after much hassle, she was given 100 that we should start voting but we said we won’t until the materials are completed.
“As we speak, they have gone to the office twice, nothing was brought and no other INEC officials came here. We asked her to get a complaint form and document it that there was no election here and that was when she discovered that there was no complaints form. Everything was planned to disenfranchise us. 1,728 registered voters are affected.”
According to Vanguard, Peter Gai, the State Commissioner for Lands and Survey who votes in the Kabong area added, “It appears that INEC has compromised this process, in some polling units, the ballot papers for the Senate were brought but those for the House of Representatives were not brought. We asked questions but we were not given any answers.
“There is a polling unit that they did not come to at all, that is 092. INEC must come clean and ensure that the correct thing is done. The people came out to vote but what is happening in the Kabong/Tudun Wada shows this election is highly compromised and we call on INEC to do the right thing. We are asking that where INEC didn’t conduct the election, they can go back even tomorrow because the people are ready to vote.”