National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By: Okosun Dennis
Oba of Ikate-Elegushi, His Royal Majesty, Oba Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla III, on Saturday expressed disappointment with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for transferring voters arbitrarily away from their original polling units to his domain where they were strangers and hadn’t knowledge of where they were met to cast their votes.
He said that such unsolicited transfers of voters by INEC to places they do not reside or even know the address where they were met to cast their votes, were largely responsible for the commotion that erupted within his kingdom.
Speaking with our correspondent shortly after casting his vote in his palace, the visibly unhappy Oba – even though denied knowledge of the madness that played out at unit 006 and 007 where ballot papers were destroyed – described it as “fraud” INEC’s decision to transfer voters without their knowledge.
“You see a lot of strange faces that don’t leave in this area or vicinity. How can we accept that fraud. For someone to transfer to a place he or she is not living? It’s a fraud,” His Royal majesty explained.
The 21st Elegushi of the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, when asked his reaction to the commotion that led to the destruction of INEC materials at unit 006, said: “Where was that? I didn’t see that. Besides my palace? You cannot call that my palace!!
“I was not told and I just received the Army Commander and said that there was an issue and they have settled it.”
“The turn out was good. A lot of people turned out but I am worried about somebody going to INEC website and did a transfer, given a fake address without asking questions?
“We would take that up after the election with INEC because it’s not right to see a lot of strange faces that don’t live here in this local government and they are voting here. How come? He quarried.
On his impression about the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, Oba of Elegushi -Ikate expressed joy that everything went well.
“Everything is going on well. I came out very early to cast my vote as a citizen of Nigeria and have voted for the candidate of my choice and back to the palace.”
It would be recalled that during the last Saturday’s polls, some voters were transfers from one polling unit to distant places thereby disenfranchising some voters who couldn’t make it to such places due to distance or no means of transportation.
Speaking with two of such victims, Miss Favour and Sylvester registered at Eleganza area close to Ikonta and Ogombo both at Lekki axis respectively, were transfered without their knowledge to Elegushi -Ikate; about 25 kilometres away from the initial voting point.
They expressed disappointment with INEC decision without pre-informing them. “It is a shame as so many voters were disenfranchised. Some couldn’t find their names in the voter’s list anywhere hence such electorates couldn’t vote,” they narrated.
