By ‘Lanre Ahmed, Mubarak Balogun, Abdulquadri Shehu, Mariam Onaolapo, and Ahmed Lukman
There is a massive turnout of voters in the ongoing Presidential and National Assembly elections in parts of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
Accredited security personnel were also sighted in different areas and polling units providing cover for the exercise.
Visits to selected polling units and areas within the Ilorin metropolis showed that people besieged polling booths in large number to perform their civic duty.
At polling units 016, 017 and 018 of Magaji Are Ward II, opposite Government House, Ilorin, prospective voters had gathered as early 8:30am in readiness for the commencement of the exercise.
It was observed that adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed to the affected polling units had pasted list of eligible voters on the wall for verification and confirmation of their names before being allowed to exercise their franchise.
Polling unit 003, at University of Ilorin Quarters witnessed low turnout. NUC directive on discontinuation of academic activities is believed to have contributed to the tow turnout.
Investigation revealed that accreditation and voting simultaneously commenced around 9:40am at polling unit 017 while it began in other adjoining units some minutes later.
Highprofile correspondents observed that eligible voters formed different queues and moved to the designated spots for accreditation and voting after they had been handed ballot papers.
The turnout is also massive at a polling unit around Kwara Hotel along Ahmadu Bello Way and some polling units at Emir’s Road, Ansarul-Islam Primary School, Niger Road, Alapata area, Sanni Okin, Agbaji Qarters, Ita Elefun, ItaKure, Abayawo, Ojuekun Sarumi ward, Ogjondoroko Primary School, AgO-Oja, Ogodi Oloje, Isale maliki, Opomalu, Okesuna, Tanke Akata, Unilorin Permanent site, Sango , Pakata Adewole, roundabout Omoda, and several other areas.
Findings, however, showed that turnout is not impressive at a polling unit located near a building housing the defunct StateTown Planning Development Authority on Lajorin Road, GRA, Ilorin.
This medium reports that this year’s general elections started with Presidential and National Assembly elections nationwide today.
