BY: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar
The chairman of Cross River State Electoral Commission, Dr. Mike Ushie, has described the turn of voters in the local government elections as impressive according to reports from the field.
He disclosed this in his office while speaking to publishers of local newspapers in Cross River state.
He also said that the elections has been peaceful and without record of any violence across the 18 local government areas.
According to him, “so far the election is peaceful and successful. We have not heard of any violence from the 18 local government areas of the state”.
The Chairman said “there is full participation with five registered political parties all involved in the filed. The issue of boycotting the elections by some political parties is not there at all as far as this election is concerned. We did our home work very thoroughly and prepared for the elections”.
Said he, “as early as 8 am materials had arrived polling booths ready for accreditation and voting except where there was vehicle breakdown or in the hinterlands’.
He lauded the media for the sensitisation of the electorates prior to today’s elections and urged them not to relent.
The election is peaceful everywhere. Collation has started but because of time and terrain, we are going to start to announce results from 10.am Sunday morning, he added”.
He thanked Cross Riverians for their patience over the postponement of the elections over time and again for coming out enmass to cast their votes despite the Covid19 pandemic..
“We had done our beat by providing all the necessary things needed by the Covid-19 Coordinators. We have buckets for washing of hands and sanitisesrs ready for people to use before going to cast their votes in every polling booth. There are nose masks for every voter. We also ensured that there are queues at two levels to comply with the social distancing as required by Covid-19 vivid 19 guidelines.
He declared, “CROSIIC has no secret room for results. As the results arrive, so shall we announce them”.
However, he said, “I would have started to announce it this evening but because of the time and that we have not received any as at this moment, we shall begin to announce results from 10am Sunday morning.
“By then, he said, “we should be able to have about 60/70 percent of the total results.”
He commended the state governor Senator Ben Ayade for all the support given to the commission towards the successful conduct of the elections.