Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State was left disappointed when he was unable to cast his vote at his polling unit, Ward 9, Unit 7, Obio/Akpo Local Government Area, due to the failure of the BVAS to accredit him and his wife. Despite the efforts of the Presiding Officer, Agatha Abiokun, the BVAS failed to recognize the thumbprint or face of Governor Wike’s wife.
In response, the governor expressed his disappointment, stating that INEC should have ensured all tools were in order before the election. He also expressed concern about the slow working of the BVAS, which could potentially disenfranchise voters and lead to unrest.
“We are highly disappointed. If a number of people are disenfranchised, what do you expect? People will lose their temper and anything could happen,” he said.
The governor, who had waited for about 25 minutes, was told to come back later as an INEC technician had been sent to rectify the problem. Despite the setback, other voters remained patient and waited to see what would happen next.
Wike urged INEC to put all necessary measures in place to ensure a smooth electoral process and prevent any potential violence. As of the time of the report, the governor was still waiting at the polling unit for INEC to rectify the BVAS and enable him to cast his vote.
