The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done what it does best, extend voting time in areas where the process started late. In a country where punctuality is a rare commodity, it’s almost expected that voting would drag on, especially in an election as crucial as Edo State’s.
Sorting and counting are underway at Ward 002, Unit 21, Western Boys High School, Ikpoba Okha LGA. Meanwhile, in Oredo LGA, Unit 024 at Agbado School, counting is also in full swing. The chaos of late starts hasn’t derailed the counting process.
National Commissioner and Member of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, released a statement on Saturday trying to play down the delays. According to him, “Our monitoring indicates early commencement of polls in many polling units, but there are also reports of late commencement in some locations.”
Translation: Some places actually started on time, while others, predictably, did not.
Haruna reassured voters that no one would be disenfranchised. By extending voting in areas that started late. He emphasized that the voting process would continue until every last voter who arrived by 2:30 p.m. cast their vote.
Haruna mentioned backup electric generators being ready to swoop in for those polling units that might, run out of power. .
It’s worth noting that this extension announcement came after Channels Television reported the predictable late arrival of INEC officials at multiple polling units. Even the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asue Ighodalo, wasn’t spared from the shenanigans. So, is this all part of the democratic process?
