NAN Reporting
Dr Kayode Fayemi, the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the Ekiti election cast his ballot in his Unit 009, Ogilolo Ward 11, Isan-Ekiti, Oye Local Government Area, at about 10.28 a.m on Saturday.
But his wife, Bisi, who accompanied him to the polling station, could not vote as the Card Reader could not accredit her.
Although the electoral officials found her name on the voter register, the card reader did not recognise her voter card.
Nevertheless, Fayemi commended the electorate in Ekiti for their impressive turnout and conduct.
Assessing the electoral process, Fayemi said, “This is the day the Lord has made and we are glad in it. I have just voted in my Unit.
“The voting process is relatively smooth; my card was recognized. I was accredited and I went to cast my ballot.
“You can see the turn out in my community, it is huge. This is not a big community, but almost everyone is out to cast his vote.
“They ensure that they conduct themselves in a proper manner and not being disenfranchised.”
He, however, said that reports he got from his representatives revealed that though the exercise was peaceful in most places, there were also reports of skirmishes in some places, and Card Reader issues.
“I have had reports across the state from my agents, from our leaders; we have skirmishes, Card Reader issues, but also there has been relative calm in most places.
“It is too early to judge now; it is too early to give a final and full verdict on how the process on the ground out there in state is.
“I will plead with you, the media, to allow me some time to get more reports from the field before I give you a definitive statement about the process,” he added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that large number of voters queued up to cast their ballots at the polling units in the ward.
The INEC voting list pasted in Unit 009 bore 345 names of eligible voters, including Fayemi and his wife.
Eleke Votes
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Ekiti governorship election, Prof. Olusola Eleka, has now cast his ballot after INEC manually accredited him.
The man who wants to succeed his mentor, Governor Ayo Fayose voted at 11.10 a.m.
Earlier, the INEC card reader rejected his PVC twice, according to The Nation.
The newspaper also reported that the INEC card reader also failed to the PVC of Eleka’s wife.
“It is only the PDP candidate’s PVC that was not read by the card reader in his unit. Everyone else has been verified so far and voting ongoing”, The Nation said.
NAN reporter in Ikere-Ekiti, Adedeji Egbebi reported that Eleka voted following the intervention of National Commissioner of INEC, Professor Anthonia Taiye.
Eleka thanked the INEC commissioner for creating alternative means for him to cast his vote.
He appealed to the National Commissioner of INEC to ensure that all the card readers in Ikere Ekiti polling units are functioning properly.
Taiye, who supervised voting in the area had promptly assured Eleka, at a press briefing that he would cast his vote, after she was notified.
She said that some of the major reasons why the card reader often rejects the PVCs was because the owners often tamper with the sensitive part of the card and whenever it happens, the machine would reject the card.
” Card readers often reject card whenever the sensitive parts are tampered with.
” In the case of Prof. Olusola Eleka, I have contacted our ICT operators and the head office in Abuja and they are currently working on it and I want to him that he would vote before the vote ends,” she said.
Source: NAN