Voting has been cancelled at Lugbe Primary 009, on Saturday following an attempted rigging by the INEC Ad-hoc officials that presided over the election process.
Voting has been cancelled at Lugbe Primary 009, on Saturday following an attempted rigging by the INEC Ad-hoc officials that presided over the election process.
According to eyewitness, trouble started when some voters persistently requested that accreditation and voting be allowed to go on simultaneously but the INEC officials but they refused to heed the advice until voters discovered that some of the officials of the INEC were inside a classroom thumb printing for a particular political party, while they urge voters to go on with accredication for over three hours.
The angry youths swooped on the two officials and beat them to stupor. It took the intervention the DPO in-Charge of Lugbe Police Division, Ugochukwu UC and some of his gallant men to whisk the INEC officials away from the scene of the incident.
The rioting voters further vented their anger on the DPO and policemen for shielding the suspected INEC officials, throwing clubs and hurling stones on them before a team of security Joint Task-Force, comprising the military, Mobile Police, Civil Defence, NDLEA and Road Safety camef to their rescue.
The arrival of the Joint Task-Force saved the day as it doused the tension and started dispersing the rioting crowed with tear gas and sporadic shooting into the air.
They also went after some of the rioting youths who were later arrested and taken to Lugbe Police Station for interrogation together with the INEC officials.
Earlier, voting was going on smoothly in other Polling units visited by Vanguard.
As at 9:09 am, the INEC officials had not arrived at Jedo Estate, Polling Unit, Code 055, GUI Ward, Airport Road, Lugbe, Abuja Municipal Area Council, FCT, Abuja.
Prospective Voters were seen gathering in large numbers to cast their votes.
The INEC officials eventually arrived at about 9:53 am and accreditation commenced at 9:55am and voting began immediately.
The atmosphere was calm and peaceful.
The polling Unit has about 500 registered voters and everybody is expected to cast he or her vote before the 2:30pm closing time due to the organised manner voters completed themselves.
At LEA Primary Gosa 1 PU 032, GUI ward also in AMAC, accreditation started late, around 12 noon due to late commencement of the exercise.
The centre has about 4056 registered voters and about four voting points.
With the large turnout of voters at the centre coupled with the late commencement of accreditation, it seemed impossible that every voter would be able to vote before the closing time.
Some voters were seen sending a warning to the INEC officials to ensure they exercise their franchise.
At SaukaISauka Village with Polling Unit Code 003, about 1520 people registered for the election.
According to officials, voting started early at the polling Unit.
At LEA Prim School, Gosa 1, with a total of 217 registered voters, voting commenced early and was going on smoothly.
At Bakwa N/Resettlement with PU 026, Gui ward, voting had ended as at the time we visited the unit, while officials were waiting to commence vote counting..
At Aco Estate with PU 056, Gui ward, AMAC, FCT Abuja, about 1216 people registered, voters came out in their numbers and voting was going on smoothly.
At AMAC 1 with Polling Unit code 099, about 1130 people registered, there was a large turnout of voters and voting was going on smoothly.
At Dauka Dauka Village, PU 003, Gui ward, AMAC in FCT, Abuja accreditation started as early as 9am.
As at 9:10am, the INEC officials were yet to arrive at the PU 008, CBN Garki with 500 registered voters. People came out in their numbers waiting to cast their votes.
