Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Ado-Ekiti
Deputy Governor of Ekiti State and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof. Olusola Eleka was unable to vote in the Saturday’s governorship election holding in the state as his Permanent Voters Card (PVC) was not recognized by the card reader.
The deputy governor who got to his unit 07, ward 02 Okeruku voting centre at 9.15am was immediately called by the presiding officer to vote but all efforts to have his PVC recognized by the card reader failed.
For more than 30 minutes, the adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) battled with the card reader but to no avail.
When efforts by the INEC adhoc staff failed, other voters were called to vote and the card reader recognized their cards.
Also, the wife of the governorship candidate, Mrs Janet Olusola Eleka had her PVC recognized by the card reader immediately and she voted.
Eleka was the only person whose PVC was not recognized by the card reader in the polling centre.
The presidding Officer at the polling centre insisted that Eleka would not be allowed to vote since the card reader failed to recognize his PVC, stressing that “we have been instructed not to allow those whose PVCs are not recognized to vote in this election.”
Eleka while speaking with reporters said the development was unfortunate, stressing that there was no justification for the huge sum of money committed into the election by INEC.
He said he would continue to try until the card reader recognizes his PVC and he is allowed to vote.
The PDP gubernatorial hopeful alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) connived with the Police to manipulate the results of the election.
He alleged further that the non recognition of his PVC by the card reader could be a strategy employed by INEC to manipulate the
election.
He alleged that the APC was distributing money to voters openly in different voting centres across the state.