The electoral commission, INEC, has postponed elections in 141 polling units in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State in the country’s south-south.
This was disclosed by the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, today in Abuja.
Mr Yakubu said the process was disrupted in Wards 4, 6, 8, and 14 and the security operatives overcame the challenges.
He said the INEC ad-hoc staff expressed apprehension about going back to conduct the election, thus necessitating the postponement.
“We have decided that the election will be held tomorrow (Sunday) where 40 out of 141 polling units where the materials are intact.”
The postponement affects the presidential and national assembly elections in the area and the elections will be held tomorrow.
Mr Yakubu also spoke on other observations from today’s election.
He said INEC reported losing several BVAS machines in some parts of the country to thugs.
The commission has recovered from these losses because it has contingency arrangements to respond to any such attack, Mr Yakubu said.
“I am happy to say that the process is now ongoing and Nigerians will be allowed to vote in those affected areas,” he said.
Nigerians go to the poll today to elect a new president and 468 federal lawmakers. It is the first phase of the 2023 general election with the governorship and state assembly poll holding in two weeks.
This year’s general election is the seventh since the restoration of democracy in the country. The previous elections were held in 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019.
