Voter apathy, late arrival of materials as well as electoral officials and malfunctioning Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) marred Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council election.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) made up mainly of National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members arrived at most of the voting centres two to three hours behind the 8:30 am official commencement of voting.

In most of the places, when accreditation finally commenced, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device failed to function or was very slow as a result of a poor network.

Apart from Polling Unit 007 located at LEA Primary School in Mpape, Bwari Council Area, which witnessed a massive turnout of voters, there was serious voter apathy at most of the Polling Units.

In Karu, Abuja Municipal Council Area (AMAC), voters failed to turn up at most of the centres.

At polling unit 010 at AYA Roundabout, the BVAS device was non-functional leading to the disenfranchisement of voters in the area.

The presiding officer in charge of the PU said they had called the INEC office over the problem but were yet to get feedback.

At another polling unit, 055 opposite Furnishing Centre, Karu, though the BVAS was functioning, the INEC officials there said not one person had turned up to vote until around 1 pm.

At polling unit 077, Itsekiri Way, Karu, the INEC officials said even one person did not turn up to vote.

INEC attributed the late arrival of election materials and staff to fuel scarcity that delayed some of the drivers held up at petrol stations.

INEC Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, when contacted, said the Polling Units opened before 8 am, adding that the Ad hoc Staff were also deployed on time.

According to him: “Most of our Polling Units opened before 8 am. A few of the drivers conveying the ad-hoc staff branched to the Filing Stations and created a slight delay.

“We deployed on time to the Registration Area Centers and most of the vehicles left the RACS before 7 am”. (The Nation)

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