Why voting was delayed – LASIEC Chairman

The Chairman of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) ,Justice Ayotunde Phillips has attributed the delayed take off of the voting process in Saturday ‘s council polls in some parts of the state to heavy downpour.

Speaking with newsmen while monitoring some polling units in Yaba area of the state, she said the downpour affected the movements of electoral materials.

She appealed to those who were yet to vote on the affected area to exercise patience as the commission was addressing the situation.

The chairman assured that all eligible voters would vote, as materials were being deployed to the affected areas.

Philips said the commission would allow some people to vote beyond the 3pm deadline if there was the need to do so.

“The delay in the delivery of materials in some areas, hence voting, is caused by the heavy downpour.

“However, we are addressing the situation and we are assuring that everybody in the affected areas will vote .

“Once people have been accredited and are on queue, they will be allowed to vote even after 3pm. “she said.

She expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct in most areas.

Phillips said there were few incidences of violence in some areas but said security agents had quelled the situation.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) correspondent who went with the LASIEC boss on the monitoring reports that that the turnout was low in some areas visited.

At polling unit 028,ward G in Yaba, out of the 644 registered voters, only 82 had voted as of 1pm of the visit.

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The polling clerk in the unit, Mrs Mosunmola Taiwo, said the downpour contributed to the slow takeoff and low participation.

She, however, expressed hope more people would turn out for the exercise before 3pm deadline.

The situation was however different at polling unit 004 in the same ward as the Presiding Officer, Mr Bishi Usman said the turnout was impressive.

“The exercise is going on fine. People are coming out. I have exhausted the first booklet; I am on the second voting booklet. It is so far, so good,” he said.