The delays in distribution of sensitive and non sensitive election materials in Akwa Ibom council elections have stalled the exercise in parts of the state.?
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) checks in Eket and its environs showed that as at?noon distribution of materials was still ongoing at designated centres.?
Meanwhile, voters who turned up as early as 8 a.m. at polling stations waited and left for their homes.?
At QIT Primary School in Eket scores of voters who turned up as at 9 a.m. said that they were disappointed at the late commencement of the elections.?
On of the prospective voters, 75-year -old retiree Mrs Adiaha Edoho told NAN that she defied her sickness to come out early to cast her votes.?
“I woke up this morning and was feeling dizzy but I decided to come and cast my votes before going home.?
“My greatest regret is that the drug stores would not open today, I would have sent my children to get medications for me,” she said.?
When NAN visited Eket Office of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission, at 12.15 a.m. distribution of materials for the 11 ward was still in progress amidst tight security. ?
Meanwhile, Uyo, the state capital,??recorded massive voter apathy on Saturday for the local council elections.
NAN correspondents monitoring the conduct of the elections in Essien Udim, Ikot Ekpene, Uyo, Etim Ekpo, Abak and Etinan local government areas report the usual excitement for?elections was absent.
Apart from Uyo Local Government Area, where few party agents were seen at some designated polling stations as at 9 a.m, other areas visited had no signs of voting as at 10 a.m. and no officials and voting materials were available.
In Uyo, in?spite of announcement of restriction on movement, traders at Anua market, Mbiabong market and Abak road were busy selling their wares.
The chairman of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Mr Gloria Ukpong had announced that voter accreditation would commence at 8 a.m. while voting would?start at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.
The chairman of the state chapter of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Mr Linus Udofia, told NAN that materials arrived late in Uruan, Ikono and Eket local governments.
He, however, expressed optimism that the exercise would be peaceful and orderly.
On the apparent voter apathy, a sociologist at the University of Uyo, Dr Aniekan Brown, said that the feeling in the state was that the elections had already been concluded.
?“The people feel that their votes do not count, after all within the political parties, members could not exercise their right to elect their different candidates,” Brown alleged. (NAN)