The PUNCH observed that the presidential and Senate ballot boxes were on the stand while that of the House of Representatives was missing.
The voters who had lost their patience started to shout and rain abuses on the electoral umpire.
They lamented that they had been at the Polling Unit as early as 7 am to exercise their franchise but they had been left stranded due to the ineffectiveness of the INEC.
One of the voters, 73-year-old, David Ibhadode bemoaned that he wasn’t feeling well but came out to perform his franchise but was disappointed to know he has to wait for hours due to lack of ballot box.
“The performance of INEC is not impressive at all. I came here to vote but I’m surprised to see that there is no ballot box to vote,” the Septuagenarian noted.
Also, a pregnant woman, Mrs Ann Innocent, a first-time voter, said she got to the polling Unit before 7 am to avoid being under the sun but her goal has been thwarted.
Innocent said, ” We have been here since morning. I came here before 7 am only to get here and find out that a ballot box was missing.
“I suspect that it’s a deliberate attempt to frustrate voters because we have been here for over two hours. Will they extend the election for our polling unit?”
“We will not be frustrated, we will wait and see the outcome of this election”
Also, the Presiding Officer, Victoria Aletor told our correspondent that they slept at the polling unit to commence the election early but the officials came and picked one of their boxes for those who were travelling.
She narrated, ” We slept here yesterday but when those who were travelling far came, they were told to pick one of their boxes that it would be replaced.
“But unfortunately, about three hours later, we are still here waiting for them to bring the House of Reps ballot box.
” That of the Presidential and senatorial election boxes are here.”
Aletor noted that there were 750 registered voters across the board in the Polling Unit.
She also added that the agent had refused them improvising stating that they don’t want their votes discredited.
She added, ” There are 750 voters accredited for all the elections today.
“We have suggested using another plastic as an alternative but the agents and voters disapproved stating that they don’t want their sites to be discredited.”
Our correspondent observed that out of the polling unit in the Ward, it’s just polling unit 17 that has experienced an itch in the election process.
