The Independent National Elector Commission (INEC) has said it will extend voting time by the hours lost.
The national Commissioner of the commission, Festus Okoye, made this known while briefing journalist at the International Conference Center in Abuja.
“What the commission has decided is that in any of the States where polls opened at 9’o clock, there will be an extension of one hour and it progresses that way,” he said.
Polls were supposed to open at 8a.m. and close by 2pm.
“In relation to the opening of polls in some of the states of the federation, as at 12noon, we recorded 100% opening of polls, some of them we recorded over 90% opening of poll,” he said.
“In Anambra as at 12 noon 90% of all the polling units had opened; in Edo state, 97%; in Ekiti, 100%; in the FCT we recorded 73%; in Katsina, 100%, in Kebbi, 100%, in Kogi, 91%, in Kwara, 96%, in Niger 99.35%, in Ogun, 74%, in Ondo, 100%, in Osun state, 100%, in Taraba, 69%, in Yobe, 69%.
“In a place like Adamawa State, we recorded, 34% opening of polls, in Akwa Ibom, 64%, Bauchi, 49%, in Bayelsa, 29%, in borno, 35%, in Delta 32%, in Ebonyi, 35%, in Gombe, 62% and so on and so forth.
Mr Okoye assured the commission is in touch with all the resident electoral commissioners and electoral officers in almost all the local governments in relation to some the challenges they have that made polls not to open on time.
He said some of these challenges are security-related while some relate to the issue of late arrival of the members of the national Union of road transport workers.
“But in all these states the challenges are being addressed presently” he said.
Premium Times