Crowds of eager voters thronged polling stations in Nigeria where an election office was hit by a deadly bomb attack, as voting finally began after initial hiccups that led to the parliamentary polls being postponed.
Crowds of eager voters thronged polling stations in Nigeria where an election office was hit by a deadly bomb attack, as voting finally began after initial hiccups that led to the parliamentary polls being postponed.
Despite a bomb blast that claimed at least nine lives at an office of the the election commission in the northern Niger state, enthusiastic voters could be seen at several polling units in the country's commercial capital of Lagos.
Elections were earlier postponed from April 2 to April 9 after the polling machinery collapsed due logistic and managerial problems.
Displaying a finger with an ink mark, Leke Babatunde said at the Ikotun area of Lagos: "We have completed accreditation and (are) preparing for voting."
Polling officer Bukola Olaniran of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) -- a one year military service for college graduates -- said that unlike last Saturday they have been given enough material to conduct the exercise today.
However, in south eastern Abia state, an official told PTI on phone that she suspected rigging could take place.
"We participated at the aborted polling last Saturday but today our names were substituted with names of other people we suspected were brought in to rig the elections.
"We were told to go away from the office of the INEC at Okpuala Ngwa in Isiala Ngwa north local government area of Abia state," Chizaram Chigbu said.
Last Saturday, several people had voted all over the country before the Independent National Electoral Commission's chairman Attahiru Jega announced that the polls stood postponed.
Chigbu said she suspected that some local politicians might have used the time to bring in some followers to oversee the voting.
However, in the northern state of Kaduna where three polling officers and a politician were shot to death yesterday, voter Irene Ogbuwa Ifere told PTI on phone that situations were more serene than last Saturday.
"Where I am at Government Girls Secondary School Kabala, Costain, situation is more peaceful than last week when suspicious movements were noticed everywhere," Ifere said adding that accreditation went on smoothly from 10 am this morning while voting was set to start by 12 noon.
Military rule ended here in 1999 and the oil-rich African country has held election every four years but international observers have described them as flawed.
Today's parliamentary polls will be followed by presidential elections on April 16 and polls for electing governors on April 26.
In 15 senatorial districts and 48 federal constituencies the parliamentary election would be held on April 26, on the same day the governors are elected.
Land borders have been closed to forestall any interference by foreigners in the elections. Some people allegedly from the neighbouring Niger Republic were sent home after being found with voting material.
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