The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in ten polling units in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) area of the state’s Lekki area.
Segun Agbaje, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, made the announcement while speaking to reporters at the VGC.
According to him, corps members deployed as ad hoc staff on Saturday were hesitant to enter the VGC estate because they claimed they were held hostage in the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25.
According to Agbaje, the commission’s ad hoc staff set up voting materials in front of the estate on Saturday, but the estate residents claimed that hoodlums might disrupt the process, so they did not feel secure and were unable to vote.
He said the situation was difficult for security agents to contain hence he and his team had to come to the area.
“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,” he noted.
“After due consultation and further directive from the national headquarters that we should remobilize here tomorrow (Sunday) morning by 08:30 am to conduct the elections.
“By 08:30 am 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 polling units affected include PU 032,033, 119 -124.
The governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), Tunde Doherty, whose polling unit is in the VGC scolded INEC for poor arrangement, saying the situation is “unfortunate”.
