Apathy, late arrival of materials mar Akwa Ibom LG poll

VOTER apathy and late arrival of polling materials, yesterday marred the much expected local council poll in Akwa Ibom State, as officials of the State Independent Electoral Commission (AKSIEC) failed to turn up in most the polling units visited as at 9am, when the process ought to have begun.

Also, motorists and commuters saw hell, as confusion and frustration reigned following the decision of the government to shut down all inter state boundaries for the council poll.

Thousands of motorists and commuters at the Itu bridge end, the boundry between Cross River and Akwa Ibom, along the Calabar-Itu federal highway were stopped from entering Akwa Ibom or Cross River as early 7am.

Similarly, The Guardian gathered that interstate boundaries between Akwa Ibom and Rivers, at Oruk Anam, Abia at Obot Akara, were locked down by heavily armed Army personnel, who only allowed vehicles of other armed forces and para-military personnel to pass.

However, despite the strict security measures, Situation Room reports indicated that there was late arrival of voting materials, as most polling units were yet to get the materials at 10.30am, a development that left the electorate waiting anxiously.

In a statement, the Convener, Akwa-Ibom State L.G.A Situation Room, Mrs. Frank Iniobong, said: “The reports from our network of observers across the state indicate late arrival of materials in about 90 percent of polling units across the state”

She expressed worry that despite assurances from AKISIEC, the election has shown lack of preparedness and logistics lapses on the part of the electoral commission  

Iniobong who is also the Executive Director Women United for Economic Empowerment (WUEE) noted that the late commencement   of   accreditation   and   voting   could   undermine   the integrity of the process.