Voters protest alleged shortage of ballot papers in Bayelsa

Voters at Agudama -Epie in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State protested the alleged shortage of about 48,500 ballot papers meant for the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/Opokuma Federal Constituency elections on Saturday.

The protesters who gathered at Ward 4, Epie 1, which has 47 units, covering Agudama-Epie and Akenpai communities, insisted that balloting would not be held in the area unless the missing ballot papers were replaced.

The Supervisory Presiding Officer, Austin Atekere, explained that when he and his colleagues received the materials from the INEC headquarters in Yenagoa, they were not sorted until they got to the ward headquarters.

“Only for us to get to our headquarters to realise that all the ballot papers for other elections were complete, except for that of the House Representatives election. The ward has about 50,000 registered voters but we were given only 1500 ballot papers.

“As I speak with you, people have dragged me about and almost beat me up but the quick intervention of community members saved my life. However, we have contacted INEC and they have informed us that the situation is not peculiar to Agudama-Epie and Akenpai alone.”

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