Wike said, “We are highly disappointed. INEC told us they were ready for the election and that BIVAS are working. You can see the crowd here I don’t think that most people will be allowed to vote with slow working of the BIVAS.”
By Emma Ogbuehi
After standing for about 25 minutes, Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, could not be validated to cast his vote at his Polling Unit 8, Ward nine, Rumueprikon, Obio-Akpor, following the failure of the Bio-modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS).
The Governor, accompanied by his wife, Suzzette, left the polling unit at about 11 am as the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appealed to them to wait a little while.
The officials described the failed BIVAS as a general problem in the State adding that they were waiting for technicians assigned to the unit to rectify the problem.
A crowd of voters was patiently waiting to begin accreditation at the unit.
READ ALSO: Massive voters’ turnout in Abia, protest over shortage of ballot papers in Bayelsa
The Governor, who left the unit, said they were disappointed with INEC.
Wike said: “We are highly disappointed. INEC told us they were ready for the election and that BIVAS are working. You can see the crowd here I don’t think that most people will be allowed to vote with slow working of the BIVAS.
“I have stayed about 25 minutes here and I was told to go and come back that they will rectify the BIVAS. We are highly disappointed. If a number of people are disenfranchised, what do you expect?
“People will lose their temper and anything could happen. INEC ought to have been completely ready before telling the people they are ready. There is no violence anywhere in the state”.
Wike is yet to return as at the time of filing this report.
