Some voters in the Ikere-Ekiti area have decried the unavailability of stamp pads in the election materials supplied to the town.

They expressed their displeasure in separate interviews and alleged that the process had been compromised.

Wole Oluyede, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), complained that the election had been compromised following the non-inclusion of vital items in the election materials despatched to the town.

As of 10:15 a.m. at Ugele Arokun Ward 3 Unit 6 in Ikere-Ekiti, where the ADC candidate was expected to vote, ballot stamp pads were missing in the voting materials dispatched to the polling unit.

An octogenarian, Caroline Elizabeth, vowed to wait until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) produced the stamp pad, saying that she could not afford to be disenfranchised.

Another voter, Isaac Alabi, expressed his displeasure with the situation, asking why the INEC officials did not observe that there were no stamp pads in the materials given to them three days before the election.

Ade Asimolowo, another voter, noted that a peaceful election was possible if all involved in the electoral process could abide by the guiding rules.

A Presiding Officer, Festus More, said that all the items were completed when he checked through but could not explain how the stamps were removed.

“I was set for the voting as all the necessary preparation and protocols have been done. In fact, I have given out a ballot paper to the first voter, only to discover that the stamps were missing,” Mr More said.

He, however, assured the electorate that the arrangement had been to get other stamps so that voting could commence in earnest. 

(NAN)