INEC reconducts elections in Dogara’s constituency

The presidential and National Assembly elections at a polling unit in Kopti, Tafawa Balewa/ Bogoro federal constituency, has been rescheduled for Sunday (today) due to the failure of the smart card reader.

The constituency is currently represented by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who is seeking reelection on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to INEC officials at the constituency collation centre in Zwall, the election in the village was rescheduled after the card readers at the unit failed to work after 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Security officers and INEC staff heading to the polling unit in Lere district at around 10:45 am to reconduct the elections.

Meanwhile, results from different wards in the three local government areas that make up the constituency are trickling in at snail pace. As at 12 noon on Sunday, electoral officials at the constituency collation centre said they were still expecting results from far-flung wards and the results from nearby Dass local government where there have been pockets of protests.

At Dass, the town was pensive. Some youth were seen in groups along the road leading to the INEC office. We also observed that the roads were littered with branches and leaves; an indication that there was a protest before we arrived.

Some of the youth we spoke with said trouble started after an aide to Mr Dogara tried to gain access into the INEC office. He was promptly prevented from doing so because the youth alleged that he was not from the town.

Journalists who tried to reach the INEC office were turned back by soldiers who had set up a roadblock just before the INEC office. One of the soldiers told the journalists that they had been instructed not to allow anyone into the INEC office.