Inadequate vehicles hinder election materials a day after disruption by MC Oluomo
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
More than two hours after voting ought to have started, parts of Lagos, from high brow Victoria Garden City (VGC) to Ikorodu, and Iba in the Ojo axis, have not received election materials because of inadequate vehicles to convey them.
Some in the large turnout of voters said they arrived at polling units at 7am but the absence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was giving them concern, according to reporting by The Nation.
They urged the INEC to direct their officials to move to polling units.
MC Oluomo stops drivers from moving election materials
Vanguard reports there was commotion on Friday at three councils – Ojo, Apapa and Mushin – as the Lagos State Park and Garage Management Committee (LSPGMC) headed by Musiliu Akinsaya (also known as MC Oluomo) stopped INEC accredited vehicles from leaving the council offices with election materials.
The INEC and the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) a few weeks ago signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the movement of the materials.
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Police fail to intervene
State NARTO Chairman Kayode Odunowo confirmed he got reports from drivers in the three locations of harassment and threat to NARTO members by LSPGMC officials in the presence of police officers, per Vanguard.
He said the matter had been reported to NARTO executives and he was awaiting their instructions before he took action.
State NARTO Task Force Chairman Ridwan Bello told Vanguard the entire Lagos Island is under his charge but Oluomo’s boys were sabotaging the logistics of moving election materials.
He warned the election process in Lagos could be truncated unless urgent steps were taken to check Oluomo and his gang.
But Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Olusegun Agbaje insisted “election under my watch is on course. It’s not every issue that I must react to.”
The incidents happened on the same day the Lagos Federal High Court perpetually restrained the INEC from engaging the LSPGMC and Oluomo to distribute election materials and personnel in the state.