A Presiding Officer, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission, Abiodun Iyiola (Ward 11, Unit 15, Ibadan South-West), has apologised for the lateness of officials and materials experienced in some Local Government Areas on Saturday.

Mrs Iyiola attributed the lateness to lack of enough vehicles to convey electoral officers to their different units.

“There are not enough vehicles to bring us, and I was able to reach here because I joined security operatives in their vehicle,” she said.

Mrs Iyiola, however, urged the citizens to come out and vote, saying they could also use their passport and not only their voter cards as a means of identification.

“They can also use their NIN, passport or voter card as we were told officially; but I don’t know if it’s only for this local government election or not,” she said.

Accreditation and voting had, however, commenced in some polling units across the LGAs.

The election is being conducted in the 33 Local Government Areas of the state by OYSIEC.

There had been a series of complaints of the late arrival of materials in some polling units such as in Ido, Ibadan North and Ibadan North-East LGAS.

At Polling Unit 1, Ward 11, Ibadan North-East LGA, it was confirmed that accreditation and voting had commenced.

An electoral officer said that the exercise started around 8.30 a.m.

“You can see that people have been coming here to vote,” the officer said.

At Unit 13 of Ward 11, Ibadan South-West LGA, while OYSIEC officials arrived at 8.56 a.m., accreditation and voting started simultaneously at 9.15 a.m.

However, at Units 12, 14 and 15, all within Ward 11, South-West LGA, the electorate were observed waiting for the arrival of electoral officers and voting materials.

At exactly 9.15 a.m., at Ward 11, Unit 1, Abayomi area of Iwo Road, Ibadan North-East, only 17 out of 750 registered voters had voted.

Although accreditation and voting started early at Units 19 and 21 of Ward 10, Ibadan South-West, only few voters were seen performing their civic rights.

It was observed that there was no queue in the units as those present cast their votes with ease.

OYSIEC ad hoc staff arrived at Ward 9, Units 1, 3, 4, 8 and 10 at the Queen’s Cinema area of Ibadan North-West LGA at around 9:30 a.m.

They, however, said the voting materials they brought to the polling units were not complete, hence voting could not commence.

They alleged that OYSIEC officials at the distribution centre told them to go ahead and that the remaining materials, such as the ballot papers and cubicles, would be sent to them.

Commenting on the exercise, the All Progressives Congress agent for Unit 4, Deji Adeoye, said he would not point accusing fingers at anyone at this point.

Mr Adeoye said the electorate could wait patiently to see what would happen at the end of the day.

(NAN)