Late distribution of Electoral materials in the Tiffi-Guda ward of Ningi local government area of Bauchi State hindered the early commencement of voting in polling units across the ward as directed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The 2022 Electoral Act indicates that accreditation and voting should commence at 8:30 am. At the time our correspondent visited Tiffi-Guda RAC centre, election materials and ad-hoc staff are being dispatched to various polling units after 9:00 am when voting was supposed to have started.
While security personnel could be seen around the RAC centre, ad-hoc staff convey the materials on motorcycles to the hinterlands in Tiffi-Guda ward without a security escort.
Ahmed Ibrahim, a prospective voter who turned up to cast his vote, expressed displeasure over the delay, insisting that he is ready to patiently wait to vote.
He said the supervisors in charge of the exercise failed to explain the reasons for the delay despite the fact that Bauchi State office INEC disbursed both sensitive and non-sensitive election materials on Thursday.
An agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Yusuf said they are still confused as to why the delayed distribution of sensitive election materials.
However, he expressed optimism that the election could proceed but feared that vote will spill into late night.
Efforts to get Ningi local government Electoral Officer, Nasiru Abdukareem proved abortive as he neither picked up calls nor responded to a text messages sent to him at press time.
