The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in 10 polling units in the Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lekki area of the state.
Segun Agbaje, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, stated this when he addressed reporters at the VGC.
Agbaje explained that corps members deployed as ad hoc staff on Saturday were hesitant to enter the VGC estate, alleging they were held hostage during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
According to Agbaje, INEC’s ad hoc staff had set up voting materials in front of the VGC estate preparatory to voting on Saturday but residents of the estate said that hoodlums might disrupt the exercise and attack them in the process, so they did not feel secure to come out to vote.
Agbaje said the situation was difficult for security agents to contain hence he and his team had to come to the area.
Tunde Doherty, the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), whose polling unit is in the VGC berated the electoral umpire for poor arrangement, describing the situation as “unfortunate”.
Agbaje said: “We have eight polling units here with 6,024 registered voters and out of which 5,624 people have their PVCs,” he stated, adding that two other polling units at the estate’s main gate were also affected. “Eight here (in the estate) and two outside.
“After due consultation and further directive from the national headquarters that we should remobilise here tomorrow (Sunday) morning by 08:30am to conduct the elections.
“By 08:30am tomorrow (Sunday), we will reconvene here.”
Agbaje said the chairman of the security committee of the estate had assured the commission of the safety of corps members and INEC staff as well as the safety of voters.”
Some of the affected polling units include PU 032,033, 119 -124.