Presidential/NASS Elections: Reps Minority Leader, Elumelu Optimistic of Victory

Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu has expressed confidence of his victory and that of the PDP in today’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The Minority Leader, who is also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives, candidate for Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency spoke with Journalists after casting his votes at 11:15 am, in his Unit 3 polling unit, located inside the premises of Kanidima Primary school, Onicha-Uku, in Aniocha North Local Government area, Delta State.

The Federal Lawmaker was confident that PDP will coast home to victory, saying the Party has done marvelously well for the people of the State.

He however decried the late commencement of the poll in most of the polling units, occasioned by insufficient and late arrival of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and materials to the Federal Constituency, particularly in Onicha-Uku where he voted.

The Minority Leader however noted an improvement in the accreditation process, stating that the BVAS Machine remains an advancement in the nation’s electoral process.

“There are issues that are very fundamental to the smooth operation of this exercise. One, in all the units, we have insufficient ballot papers. A situation where in a unit with 600 collected PVCs, not registered voters; you see them giving out 300 ballot papers; such situation has a way of causing chaos in the process. It is not only in this polling unit, but all over Aniocha North.

“Then, in terms of time; based on the law that we passed, the exercise is to commence by 8 am, but they did not get here until 10: 10 am. That is almost two hours and ten minutes late. They failed to meet up with the time. This situation is not only in this polling unit but all over; I got situation reports outside this Local Government Area, it is the same thing.

“The last one is that the supervisor who is designated to distribute materials is hoarding the result sheets and that is causing problems in every polling unit. Because they are saying that they will not continue until they see all the materials complete. These are some of the issues that I think INEC needs to address,” the Reps Minority Leader said.

Elumelu said that the issues have been formally reported to the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, who assured him of resolving the problems.

The Minority Leader, who expressed optimism that the PDP will emerge victorious at the polls, urged the people to remain calm shun any action that might disrupt the process.

In all the polling units monitored across the various communities in Aniocha North Local Government area, Delta State, the election was characterized by late arrival of officials and materials.

The security arrangements were near perfect and voters turned out impressively with accreditation of voters smooth, without any major hitches.

Communities monitored include polling units in Issele-Uku, Onicha-Olona, Issele-Mkpitime, Onich-Uku, Onich-Ugbo, Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniofu, Idumuje-Unor, Ugbodu, Nkwu-Nzu, Obomkpa and Idumu-Ogo.