Governor Idris Wada has cast his vote in the Kogi governorship poll.
He voted at about 3.40pm.
He complained bitterly about the delay, saying there was a plot to alter the process.
The governor said at his level, he should not be treated so shabbily in his own unit.
He said the plot was not hatched in Abuja, but in Kogi.
Governor Idris Wada has arrived at his polling unit to vote.
He will be the first to vote, and it is already 3.30pm.
However, he is still sitting in his car as electoral officers sort themselves out.
Accreditation was delayed in his unit.
Deputy Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Nnamdi Nwiyi, has debunked online reports of a security lock of Dekina Local Government Area.
According to him, there was an incident in a polling unit which led to protests.
He said it resulted in the INEC official leaving, making it impossible for accreditation to begin.
Nwiyi said only one unit was affected, and that it did not amount to a serious security issue.
He said electoral officers addressed the problem.
Speaking with newsmen in Dekina, he said: “Security officials will not be caught napping. So far, I’ll say that it has been generally orderly. Everything has been peaceful as of now but we’ll not rest on our oars.
“We have to be extra-vigilant and more cautious to ensure there will be no embarrassment to Nigerians and Kogi people.
“I received the report about a lockdown. It was Ward 003 or 004 in Dekina. We heard the indigenes were having issues and the electoral officials had to take the materials back to their office.
“It was a message I got from security and intelligence reports. But I believe INEC would be able to sort it out.
“Apart from that, our men have been giving us positive news from the field,” he said.
On allegations of thuggery, Nwini said: “If he (Wada) mentioned specific names I’m sure security would have been beefed up in those places.”
He urged voters to remain law-abiding and to cast their ballots without violence.
“I think Nigeria should be getting more mature by now with our experience with elections. The issue is that the awareness is now high. Voter apathy has been removed.
“However, politicians and the National Orientation Agency still have a lot of work to do on issues of orderly conduct during elections.
“It is only when people have trust in the result that we can get it right. But so far, I’ll give a pass-mark to what I’ve seen on the field.”
Most of the smart card readers deployed for Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi have been working effectively across the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
NAN reports that in several polling units visited not much hitches had been recorded by the Independent National Electoral Commission officials handling the card readers.
Some party agents and election officials who spoke with NAN also confirmed that there was great improvement in the effectiveness of the machines compared to the last general election.
A visit to polling units in Okene, Ogori-Magongo, Adavi, Ajaokuta, Kabba-Bunu, Mopa-Muro, Yagba West and Yagba East local government areas of the state indicated that the machines were working well.
NAN reports that only a few challenges were encountered with the machines in Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu and Ajaokuta local government areas of the state.
However, an INEC official in Egbada-Egga in Ijumu Local Government Area, Mr Michael Obinna, assured that the hitches associated with a few of the machines were being addressed.
It will recalled that about 4,000 card reading machines had been deployed by INEC for the governorship election in the state.
The commission said the machines had been ‘’configured, tested and ready to go’’.
Meanwhile, the election has been generally peaceful across the state.
…Satisfied with poll conduct
The All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu,, voted at exactly 1:40pm, at unit 010, Ogbonicha ward, Ofu local government area of Kogi State, on Saturday.
Audu expressed satisfaction with conduct of the poll.
He, however, alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members destroyed electoral materials at Eti-Aja and Ojetachi Streets in Ayangba.
The Nation gathered that the act was perpetrated before the arrival of police to the area.
The Police Service Commission said on Saturday it will sanction any police personnel that violates electoral laws during and after the Kogi governorship elections in Kogi State.
The PSC gave the warning in a statement issued by its Head of Press and Public Relations unit, Mr. Ikechukwu Ani, in Abuja, Friday.
“The commission wishes to warn that it will not hesitate to commence disciplinary action against any police officer caught circumventing the rules before, during or after the elections,” the statement said.
The commission added that the measure was in line with its mandate.
“This is in the exercise of the commission’s constitutional mandate of holding the police accountable for its actions or inactions.
According to the statement, a high-powered team from the PSC was already on ground in Kogi to monitor the conduct of officers during the election.
“The commission wishes to advise all police officers on electoral duty in Kogi to observe the rules and regulations guiding their conduct and also work within the ambit of the rule of law.
“The officers are advised to be fair but firm and ensure that all eligible voters are allowed to discharge their civic responsibilities without molestation.”
As the electorate file out for the governorship election in Kogi State, accreditation of eligible voters commenced peacefully at about 8:00 am.
At Ejule-Ala ward in Ofu local government area, where Prince Audu Abubakar, the All Progressive Congress candidate hails from, eligible voters were attended to by the electoral officers without any hitch.
However, there were pockets of complaints that smart card readers rejected finger prints of some of the voters, causing moments of discomfort for those affected.
Hon. Achimugu aka Chimmaroke, who spoke with our correspondent, at his Ejule-Ala ward, bemoaned the situation, saying over 10 eligible voters had been affected by the development.
The ward has close to 1,000 registered voters.
He complained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials did not make available incident forms for those affected.
