Late arrival of sensitive and non sensitive materials for the Sept. 21 local council and ward elections in Imo, voter apathy and other irregularities have marred the process.
C- Advocate reports that election materials had yet to be distributed from the office of the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) as at 11.00AM.
C- Advocate also reports that electoral guidelines indicate that elections should begin by 8.00AM on Election Day.
The materials were however housed at the ISIEC office, loaded onto vehicles for movement to LGAs and polling units, awaiting movement to various parts of the state by
11.00AM.
With the absence of election materials, came apathy, loss of interest in the process and absence of voters who gradually dispersed to their homes.
Most polling units in Owerri Municipal recorded absence of materials and officials as at
12.30PM.
Normal daily activities gradually returned to Wethedral, Egbu, Amakohia, Akwakuma, Orji and MCC roads, with commercial bus drivers plying their routes and receiving patronage from passengers.
There was however a beehive of activities at the Douglas market, with many unaware of an ongoing election.
Chairman of ISIEC, Mr Charles Ejiogu, however said that the election would hold despite the considerable delay.
Ejiogu said that the commission had overcome obvious logistics challenges and insisted that the election would go on as scheduled.
He said that 54 vehicles were arranged to convey election materials, two vehicles to each of the 27 LGAs of the state and that they were already being loaded with materials and would soon begin to depart for the LGAs.
“ Despite logistics challenges which we have successfully overcome, the elections remain sacrosanct and must hold today “, he said.
A few voters were later seen at the Government Development Secondary School, Douglas, Owerri, booths 001 to 006 where they gathered at about 1.30PM following the arrival of election materials and officials.
