Ilawe-Ekiti experienced low voter turnout during the ongoing governorship election in Ekiti State, according to a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who surveyed the town. Many residents were observed pursuing commercial activities or engaged in house chores instead of casting their ballots. INEC officials were present at Polling Unit 3, Ward 2, awaiting voters alongside security agents. Similarly, at Unit 4, Ward 1, and Unit 11, Ward 1 — the polling unit of Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu — officials were still waiting for voters to arrive.
Community Leader Blames Loss of Faith in Electoral Process
Reacting to the low turnout, community leader Folorunso Ojo attributed the development to a loss of faith in the electoral process. He appealed to residents who had not yet voted to come out and exercise their civic responsibilities. “The low turnout may be due to people losing confidence in the system,” Ojo said.
BVAS Delays Affect Elderly Voters in Ado Local Government
Meanwhile, at Ward 6, Unit 005 in the Oke Iyinmi area of Ado Local Government, delays occurred during the accreditation process as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) struggled to capture fingerprints and facial features of some elderly voters. Electoral officials were seen repeatedly attempting to operate the BVAS machine before successfully accrediting affected voters.
An elderly man, Gabriel Ojo, described the incident as unfortunate and urged INEC to improve the voting process, especially for the elderly. “I am here to cast my vote but the INEC officials told us that BVAS is not capturing the aged voters, saying we should wait. We are waiting for the BVAS to capture us so as to enable us to cast our votes,” he said.
Observers Raise Concerns Over BVAS Failures
Observers have raised concerns about BVAS failures, noting that such technical glitches could disenfranchise vulnerable voters. The challenges with BVAS highlight ongoing issues with Nigeria's electoral technology, which have been reported in previous elections.
