Voting has begun in Kogi state governorship election, with Governor Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party and Prince Abubakar Audu of the All Progressives Congress as the main contenders. #kogidecides

Voter accreditation at Odu Ogboyaga in Kogi state . Photo: Femi Ipaye

Voters queue for accreditation at Odu Ogboyaga. Photo: Femi Ipaye

Another queue of voters

Accreditation of voters in the Kogi Governorship election commenced at 8 a.m.in virtually all the polling units across the state following the arrival of electoral officials and materials as early as 7 a.m..

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) who visited some of the polling units across the state report that eligible voters were seen on queues ahead of the commencement of the accreditation process.

At Karaworo, Maigari palace, Augwan Tiv , Kabbawa and the New Layout in Lokoja, the state capital, NAN reports that the officials and election materials arrived well ahead of time.

Mr Abiodun Suleiman, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at polling unit 16 located in Lokoja, told NAN that he and other officials arrived the polling centres with the election materials at about 6:30 a.m.

He said that the accreditation of 1, 686 voters that would vote at the polling units began exactly at 8 a.m., saying that the card reading machines were working perfectly.

NAN observed that the turnout of voters was also impressive in most polling centres visited across the state while security personnel, including the police and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were deployed in strategic locations.

At Lokoja Local Government/NEPA polling units on Murtala Mohammed Road, eligible voters were accredited by the use of the card reader while the process was smooth due to the presence of security personnel.

Malam Isa Abdulrahman, an Assistant Presiding Officer in the area, told NAN that the exercise was peaceful, as adequate materials had been made available for the election.

At Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, the materials and officials also arrived polling centres as early as 7 a.m.

NAN correspondent in the area reports that electoral officials were also at their duty post ahead of the commencement of the accreditation stipulated by law.

At Ayeteju/Kajola,Odoakete-Bolorunduro,Odolu,Ayewa and Okekoko wards of Kabba, NAN reports that the electoral officials, including members of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), were also on ground as early as 7: 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, enthusiastic voters, mostly elderly people, have thronged the various polling centres in Ayewa and Ayeteju/Kajowa ward in readiness for accreditation.

One of the electoral officials at Akefe unit, Mr,Dele Ogunyomi, told NAN that they were fully prepared for the exercise, adding that they had been adequately trained to enable them discharge their responsibilities.