Free For All In Minna
Voter registration centres in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, have so far recorded more violence on daily basis.
Reports show that high turnout of voters, slow pace of the registration officers as well as technical problems from the DCC machines are some of the factors that led to the violent clashes at the centres.
Mallama Aishah who was spotted with injuries and blood stains on her clothes, said she had fought a woman at one of the registration centres in Paikoro Local Government area of the state.
Ken Ima was also arrested by INEC officials for allegedly damaging their printer during a fight at a registration centre, while in Kpakungu area of Minna, voter registration was suspended for three hours due to pandemonium caused by a group of people.
INEC officials have therefore called for more security personnel at all the registration centres.
It was learnt that registration will be suspended in some areas of the state until there is adequate security.
The state chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, has refuted the reports that the party has hijacked the on-going voter registration in the state.
Opposition parties in the state have accused the ruling party of interfering with the voter registration excercise in some local government areas.
A statement from INEC office in Minna last week stated that one person was arrested in Kutigi Local Governemnt with a list of voters.
The statement added that the accused person and chairman of the party were invited for questioning by the state police command.
Reacting to the allegation, the Vice Chairman of the PDP in the state, Barrister Tanko Beji said voters’ registration is the sole responsibility of INEC and as such the state government and the party has no hand in the programme.
Meanwhile, the on-going voter regitration suffered another setback in Benin on Wednesday as the corps members employed for the excercise abandoned their work and continued with their protest over non-payment of their allowances.
At the Idia College Ward 4, unit 24 all the staff of INEC refused to register the people who were on the queue.
Accoding to the spokes man for the corps members, Godwin Egele they were only given N2,500 since the excercise commenced.
The N10,000 advanced allowance has not been paid. Also the N3,000 allowance for transport was not paid.
The INEC spokesperson, Mrs Sule H. did not pick her call when our correspondent tried to contact her for comment.
—Musa Aliyu/ Minna & Yomi Obaditan/ Benin
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