The last-minute change of polling unit at Ungwan Muazu District in Kaduna South on Saturday elicited reactions from voters, with hisses and murmurs renting the air.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the usual polling area of the Unguwan Muazu District was the Boko Arena (Filin Boko), where voters had gathered, waiting for officials of Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM).
Upon arrival at the unit at about 8.35 am, the officials announced a change of voting centre from the usual place to Government Girls Day Secondary School, Kinkinau, a distance of one kilometre, but in the same District.
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The venue change instantly attracted subtle protest as the electorate grumbled, just as they hissed and murmured, almost in unison.
Some of them who spoke to NAN said the ward had more than five districts, and arrangements of where each district would vote should have been made known earlier before the election day.
A voter, Hafsa Waziri, said she arrived at the polling unit at about 7:30 am and was waiting to exercise her franchise when the venue change was announced.
“With all the time l have stayed and energy l have wasted, l still have to walk to Day Bola (Government Girl Day Secondary School, Kinkinau), it is stressful’, she lamented.
Another electorate, Mr Abdulaziz Ahmadu, who arrived at the voting centre by 7am, said, “it is unfortunate that after wasting time here, they are asking us to go to a different venue,”
Also, Aminu Muhammadu, another voter, said the electorates might lose interest in voting due to a venue change.
“Many voters, especially women, will go back home; there is no public transport to take them to the new venue even though it is trackable in minutes”, Muhammadu said. (NAN)
