By Nwuke Murphy Lazarus and Ken Chiwendu
The gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections kicked off nationwide today with many polling units( PU) open for accreditation and voting earlier than the previous election.
Current matters reports that the exercise was peaceful in polling units in some local government areas visited.
In PU 45 , Marine base, Port Harcourt Local Government Area, the number of voters was minimal
An agent of a party ( PDP) Diepiriye Iruene told our reporter that the unit is new and it was difficult for people to trace it but they are not relenting in creating the awareness of people to exercise their franchise.
Iruene also said that unlike the election of February 25 were people expressed enthusiasm and filed out to vote, the number of voters has trickled this time, he said.
In Okrika, PU 2 ward 4, the exercise was orderly as electorates mostly men in single file waited to cast their ballots.Ibiye, a voter told this publication that he was there to elect a new governor and lawmakers that would chart the progress of the state.
Reports from Polling units in Ward 5 , Etche Local Government Area indicated that the process was seamless and the presence of policemen in each polling booth encouraged voting.
At PU 001 and PU 002,( Umuayangwu) which is the unit of Alwell Onyeso,the Senator- elect for the Rivers East Senatorial District, the exercise was peaceful as the presidential election.
At Ward 6 ,Egwi/ Opiro PU 006, the process was also peaceful.
At PU 009, Okomoko Etche, Elemuwa unit and unit of Ogbonna Nwuke, Director, Publicity PDP Campaign Council, the turn out was massive and the exercise was peaceful. INEC staff turned out early enough and the mood of the electorates was pleasant.
Unit 004 , unit of the Chairman of the PDP in the LGA,Barr. John Otamiri was equally peaceful as INEC staff diligently set the stage for accreditation and voting..
Many polling units have concluded voting and have begun the process of counting while the units that began late due to late arrival of materials are voting.
INEC had given the go ahead that anyone who arrived a polling unit before 2pm must be given the opportunity to exercise their franchise.
More to come…..
