Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Coalition of South-East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has commended voters in the South-East for their massive participation in Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections.
The coalition expressed joy that voters despite many odds trooped out en masse to exercise their franchise.
President General of COSEYL, Comrade Goodluck Ibem, in a statement expressed satisfaction over the massive turn out of voters in polling units across South-East.
“The turnout was very impressive and we urge that it continues in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections coming up on the 11 day of March, 2023.
“It is really a show of maturity and an earnest desire by our people to make our nation better for greatness and development.”
COSEYL, however, expressed dissatisfaction at the late arrival of voting materials in most of the polling units.
The apex Igbo socio-political organisation challenged INEC to rise to the occasion and avoid similar incidents in future elections.
“We call on the National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu to ensure that INEC staffs assigned to different polling units arrive on time for the elections.
“Such practice by those staff today made voters who had waited for over 5 hours for them to arrive became suspicious of them conducting credible polls.
“We demand that the should come early so that people can exercise their franchise freely and with confidence in the process.
“We call on INEC Chairman to ensure that under-aged children in Kano and other northern states are not voting in this elections because some videos we are seeing that is circulating online where children below 10 years were standing on the queue to vote in today’s elections is truly worrisome.”
