Nigeria Decides: Election Peaceful, Hitch-Free In Delta
THE 2023 Presidential and National Assembly Elections went on smoothly in all the polling centres and units across Delta State.
As early as 8:30am when our correspondents visited, most of the voting centres had large turn out of voters but the voting process was yet to commence, while in some others, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were yet to arrive, in others, they were setting up the materials to kick-start the process.
At Unit 046, Jesus Saves by Summit Road, INEC officials were yet to arrived at 8:45, at Uzoigwe Primary School, Asaba, at about 9am, voting materials had arrived with INEC officials seen distributing same to start the process.
At about 9:05am, prospective voters were seen at all the units in Asaba Girls Grammar School, waiting patiently for INEC officials to arrive and at about 9:10am. The situation was the same at Umuagu, close to before Maduemezie hospital, Ward 9, Unit 45, about 10:25am where there was no sign of INEC officials.
However, at Ward 9, Unit 55, Oshimili South Local Government Secretariat, voting commenced at about 12:20pm.
Also at Ogbeke Square, INEC officials just arrived at 9:15am, while at Asagba Secondary School, Asaba, at 9:20am, INEC officials were yet to arrive. However, voting had commenced at 9:50pm at Unit 26, 27 and 28, Ogwa Umu Mbata, Umuekwo, Asaba and enthusiastic voters were seen performing their civic rights.
Cross-section of voters waiting to exercise their franchise at Asagba Secondary School, Asaba.
Also at the voting centres visited at Ugiliamai, Utagba-Ogbe, Utagba-Uno, Umukwata, Ebedei-Uno, all in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, voting was ongoing when our correspondents visited the areas at about 11:30am to 12:33pm.
At Ward 3, Unit 5, Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, voting was was also in progress about 1:30pm, despite the heavy down pour.
At Unit 21 West End, Asaba, voting was still in progress at about 4:20pm when our correspondent visited the centre.
Speaking to our correspondents, a two-time Lawmaker Representing Ndokwa West in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Azuka Azaka expressed confidence in his party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) coasting home to victory in his voting centre, adding that the process was peaceful and the turn out of voters encouraging.
He said that having gone round all the wards as a leader of his party in the community, the electoral process was going on peacefully, “Nobody is coercing anybody to vote for any candidate”. On the Bivas, he said accreditation using it is smooth, “I have experienced it myself, the process is okay, I think the Bivas is a welcome development,” he stated and expressed confidence that the PDP will win the election.
Also at Umukwata, a PDP chieftain, Chief Isaac Onyesom, was optimistic that his party will clear the majority votes in his unit. On the Bivas and its impact on today’s election, he said it was perfect and advised his people to maintain the calmness that had prevailed since the exercise began.
