Tambuwal speaks to media men after voting day

Polling stations have opened across Sokoto State for election of chairmen and councillors in the 23 local governments elections of the state.

The State Independent Electoral Commission ( SIEC) is using 4000 card reader machines for the polls.

The 3035 polling stations in 244 wards opened opened for the polls which started at about 8.00 am.

Hassan Tukur, a Presiding Officer at Yar Kulu market polling unit in Kalambaina, Wamakko Local Government, Hassan Tukur told NAN at around 9.30am that accreditation and voting were taking place simultaneously.

Tukur said that he had successfully accredited 16 registered voters as at 9.30am,while the machine had refused to recognize nine voters.

” We however filled incident forms for them , accredited them since they have PVCs and they were allowed to vote. So far so good, we have all the materials we needed and voting is going on smoothly,” Tukur, added.

At Shiyyar Hakimi polling unit also in Kalambaina , the presiding officer, Muhammad Yakubu said that he had accredited 39 voters as at 9.35 am.

Yakubu said that the card reader machine had declined to recognize only one voter as at the time.

Reports from across the state showed that the exercise was going on peacefully with impressive turn out of voters, including women. Operatives of the various security agencies were keeping vigil at the polling units.

In a broadcast on Friday night, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State said adequate security arrangements have been provided for the peaceful conduct of local council polls holding this Saturday in the state.

The governor said that the government, security agencies, State Independent Electoral Commission ( SIEC) and all political parties are working together to ensure transparent and acceptable polls.

” The elections will be conducted freely, transparently and fairly, and nobody will be disenfranchised.

” I am calling on the people of the state to continue to be law abiding, while they should come out en masse and peacefully cast their votes”, the governor urged.