TRACKING >>lagos—The Independent National Electorial Commission, INEC, has cancelled elections of at least six polling units in Epe over irregularities and malfunctioned Smart Card reader during the exercise.
Elections were cancelled at these polling units by the Registration Area Centers, RAC officers after it became obvious that the irregularities spread across the three elections conducted at the units.
The units, according to Vanguard investigations, were in three Wards, Abomiti; ward 8, Itoikin; ward 19 and Ward 7.
The RAC officers, while cancelling the elections exercise at the units argued that their decision was strictly in adherence to the electoral guidelines.
While presenting her results, Dr. Toyin Fatusi, who cancelled the exercise at five polling units, disclosed that the Smart Card Reader failed to function because it could not access network.
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She noted that the community where the polling unit was riverine and had residents often experience network challenges.
According to her, the officers at the polling units were threatened with death by the residents who demanded that they jettison the smart card readers and accredit anyone that could present Permanent Voter Card, PVC.
The lecturer hinted that during this process, the number of registered voters exceeded the total number of vote cast.
At some polling unit, Fatusi further disclosed that after elections exercise had ended, according to the stipulated time, some hoodlums approached the officers and demanded they must be allowed to cast their vote.
She said: “And when the officials and the law enforcement officers realised that their refusal could put the life of the Corp members at risk they allowed them vote. And when this came to my notice, I acted according to the law and the exercise was cancelled.”
Another RAC officer, who identified himself as Mr Adeniyi, while presenting his results, disclosed that after polling unit in Ward 7 was cancelled after the villagers threatened to attack the electoral officers if they were not allowed to vote after the exercise had ended.
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The officer at Ward 19 also lay claim to the extanct laws which resulted into cancellation of results from some polling units.
Meanwhile, the political parties, including Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC supported the cancellation Earlier, the returning officer, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya, while announcing number of votes cast for President Buhari and Oshinowo, hinted that the parties have accepted the umpire decision to cancel voting at the units.
