Voting is underway in the off-cycle election in Ekiti State, with a report capturing how the process commenced and unfolded across several polling units. Observers have so far described the conduct as generally calm and orderly.
The process, however, recorded some early hitches. In parts of the Ikere area, BVAS machines experienced technical glitches that resulted in delays in the accreditation of voters at affected polling units.
Electoral officers moved swiftly to calm voters and provide clarifications at the polling units where the technical problems occurred, in an effort to keep the exercise on track.
In the Ikere local government area, some elderly voters and youths expressed frustration over the delays in accreditation, calling for a faster resolution of the technical issues.
In other locations, such as the Ekiti West local government area, voting began at about 8:30 in the morning, with the process described by observers as peaceful and orderly.
Observers including Sebastian Onye, first vice president of the Nigeria Bar Association, and Brenda Anugwam, president of the Nigeria Women Trust Fund, commended the generally calm conduct of the election across the polling units they visited.
Security agencies, including soldiers, immigration officers and the police, were deployed across the state. One observer noted that, for now, the personnel had conducted themselves well, while cautioning that no conclusions could be drawn until the election came to an end.