LAGOS – An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant contesting for Surulre 1 Lagos State House of Assembly seat, Mrs Barakat Odunuga, has expressed optimism of clinching the party’s ticket in the ongoing primaries.
She spoke with newsmen on Wednesday at Ward E/E1, Akinhanmi Cole, Michael Ogun Street, Surulere, the polling unit she is expected to vote.
The aspirant, whose main rival is incumbent Desmond Elliot, said she expected party members to turn out in their numbers to vote according to their conscience.
“I am hoping that people will vote according to their conscience and support whoever they believe will represent them well at the State Assembly. I wish myself all the best,” she added.
On the delays in accreditation at her ward and other wards ,she said the situation would not affect turn out in the constituency.
Odunuga-Bakare said the situation would rather contribute to a more credible and well-organised election, expressing confidence that electoral integrity would be maintained.
According to her, the delay has helped to prevent irregularities, including the use of fake party slips, which she said were intercepted during the process.
“The delay in accreditation will not affect voter turnout. Rather, it will allow for a free, fair and well-conducted election because those with fake APC slips have been caught,” she said.
The aspirant commended security operatives and electoral officials for their efforts in managing the accreditation process despite the large turnout of voters.
“I appreciate the security men that are doing the accreditation. They have been at it for about three to four hours, and they are still ongoing,” she said.
Odunuga-Bakare noted that more than 3,000 voters were still waiting outside the polling area to be accredited and cast their votes, describing the exercise as stressful ,but orderly.
Meanwhile, at the same polling unit, an agent of another APC aspirant, Mr Desmond Elliot, who identified himself simply as Agbola, expressed concern over the slow pace of accreditation.
He alleged that supporters of Odunuga were smuggling in voters who had no accreditation card into the polling unit.
He noted that voting had already commenced in several other polling centres while accreditation was still ongoing at Ward E/E1.
However, confirmed that electoral officials and materials were present at the polling unit presiding over the process.
As at 2.00 pm, the time of filing this report, accreditation was still ongoing at the polling unit amid heavy voter presence. (NAN)
