Lagos By-Election: Voters, candidate laud process

SOME senior citizens on Saturday commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the simultaneous accreditation and voting process adopted at the ongoing by-election in Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency in Lagos.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that though INEC officials and materials arrived late in some areas, the accreditation and voting process was speedy.

The by-election resulted from the July 20 death of Mr Elijah Adewale, who represented the constituency in the House of Representatives.
Elder Adewale Ojo, 65, at Polling Unit 18, Ward 7, expressed satisfaction over the speedy process of accreditation and voting.

”In the past when you come for accreditation in the morning, you will still go home and come back to cast your vote.

“That process is time wasting and sometimes, you are not encouraged to go back after accreditation.

”But today, I came here 10 minutes ago and I’m done with both accreditation and voting. I must say that INEC has really improved, ” he said.

Mrs Janet Olokokun, 68, at Polling Unit 010, Ward 6, said, ” Some of the old challenges such the late commencement of the various phases of the election process, contributing to voters’ apprehension was not experienced.

”Also, difficulties in the accreditation of registered voters due to malfunctioning of smart card readers and dislocation of polling units was not experienced.

”INEC must be commended for this improvement and it will make this by-election credible and successful”.

Pa Lawrence Fadunni, 74, said that the improved electoral process would ensure free, fair and credible elections as well as add value to the nation’s electoral process.

”I urge well meaning Nigerians to commend INEC for this attainment and encourage the electoral umpire to sustain the tempo, ” he said

At Polling Unit 009, Ward Six, Mrs Monisola Bankole, a-64-year old woman, said, “This process is less stressful with the accreditation and voting going on simultaneously. It is fair and credible. I want the contestants to accept the result.”

Bankole said that the separation of accreditation and voting in previous polls always resulted into people coming for accreditation and failing to show up for voting.

Also, Alhaji Raheem Olaniyan, a septuagenarian, said the process was faster and more organised than what it used to be, urging the electoral body to continue the process of merging accreditation and voting in subsequent poll.

“People are always afraid of time wastage during election and that is why they don’t come out. I wish simultaneous accreditation and voting continues to alleviate suffering of voters,” Olaniyan said.

Mrs Funmilola Aribisala, a 55-year old woman at polling unit 11 in Ward 6, said, “Everything is organised. I got here and within five minutes, I was accredited and within another five minutes I voted. I hope this continues.”

Assessing the process, Mr Nurudeen Akinbwunmi, Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said, “I observe that the process has been smooth so far, though with few hitches of network problem which have been resolved.

“People in the area are already coming out to perform their civic responsibility. We have not had any problem, there is no crisis as far as I am concerned.”

On low turnout, the candidate said that it was so because people don’t put importance to by-election.

“Low turnout may be because it is a by-election; it does not happen in general election. We must even thank the people who have actually come out to vote,” he said.

Akinwunmi said he was confident of beating the other five contestants in the election and winning the poll.