Late arrival of election materials and officials on Saturday delayed the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primaries for several hours in some wards in Oshodi/Isolo and Surulere areas of Lagos State.

Party members waited hours on end for accreditation and voting in the affected wards.

At Ejigbo Ward F5 and Isolo Ward F1 in Oshodi-Isolo Federal Constituency, accreditation and voting started several hours behind schedule despite a high turnout of party members.

The election had yet to commence as at 11:30 a.m. at Ward F5, Ejigbo, while voting had also not started at 12:20 p.m. at Ward F1, Isolo.

A party member at Ward F, Salau Samson, said he had lost interest in the exercise after waiting without the process starting.

“I am exhausted. I have been here since morning and nothing is happening yet. I mean this is 1 p.m. and nothing yet. How does one explain this,” he said.

According to him, many party members had left in anger over the delays.

Speaking, Olanrewaju Akinbowale, Director-General of one of the aspirants, said the exercise was expected to begin by 8:00 a.m.

Mr Akinbowale said party members were prepared to wait patiently until election materials and officials arrived.

“I am not in a position to say the reason for the delay, but this is the first primary election the APC is conducting ahead of the forthcoming elections,” he said.

Also speaking, an APC chieftain in Ejigbo, Habeeb Anibaba, said the ideal thing was for the election to commence at 8:00 a.m.

According to him, party leaders may still be resolving some issues connected with the exercise.

Mr Anibaba expressed optimism that more party members would still turn out for the exercise.

A journalist who visited Ward F1, Isolo, at Ile Iwe Meta, LSDPC Field, observed a low turnout of party members.

There were no election officials, chairs, or tables at the venue as of the time of filing this report, although security personnel were present.

Similar delays were recorded in Surulere Federal Constituency I, where party members waited for hours at several wards before the commencement of accreditation and voting.

A party member, Ruth Adewale, a voter at Ward G in Surulere, expressed disappointment with the delayed commencement.

“We have been here since morning waiting for officials to arrive, but they are still not here. Some have left and I am not sure they are returning. This is unfair,” she told journalists.

At Adeniran Ogunsanya Ward G2, Ward Chairman Alhaja Bilikis Aremu urged voters to be patient, blaming the delays on logistical challenges.

She described the ward as the political base of the Chief of Staff and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila.

“We should be patient, all will be well. This is a premier ward. This is Femi Gbajabiamila’s ward and the people here are lovers of Gbajabiamila. There is one voice here anytime the election starts,” she said.

The exercise also started late at Iponri, Adeniran Ogunsanya, Gbaja/Stadium, Shitta/Ogunlana, Yaba/Ojuelegba and Akinhanmi Cole wards in the constituency.

Laide Aina, ward chairman of Shitta/Ogunlana, said electoral officials were yet to arrive as at the time of filing the report.

“The electoral officials are yet to arrive and accreditation has not started,” she said.

Meanwhile, the APC ward chairman for Akinhanmi Cole, Bayo Gafarr, said accreditation was concluded at about 12:20 p.m.

Earlier, the chairman of the APC House of Representatives Primary Election Committee for Lagos State, Saleh Yipmong, urged electoral officers to ensure transparency and strict adherence to party guidelines during the exercise.

Mr Yipmong, who addressed officials at the APC Secretariat in Ikeja before their deployment, stressed the need for integrity, fairness, and a level playing field for all aspirants.

He warned that the party must not be brought into disrepute through the conduct of the exercise.

Election officials and party agents waited for hours in some locations before materials and electoral officers eventually arrived to commence the exercise. 

(NAN)