Olusegun Adeosun
Ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Election, INEC, in some areas in Lagos have refused to go to their various Polling Units following the non-payment of their allowances for the last presidential elections. The ad-hoc staff, mostly youth corps members, appeared not to be interested in the election duty at a Registration Area Centre, RAC, in Anifowose Primary School in Ikeja,Lagos.
Similar scenario is playing out in, Ogudu-GRA, Kosofe local government area, in Lagos.
The development, no doubt, has slowed down the electoral process in the affected areas.
After much agitation, however, the INEC officials were seen sharing the money. Thereafter, the ad-hoc staff began to leave the centre with voting materials for their various Polling Units.
Meanwhile, ad-hoc staff in Ogudu are still waiting to be paid before they can go to work. The ad-hoc staff and security agencies are seen laying about at the INEC office in the area.
“They said they are having meeting, after the meeting they will get back to us. Some say the next two hours. Some of persons have not been paid. I have not been paid for the presidential election. They are supposed to pay us N10, 000 for work done, N2,000 for transport and N1,000 for feeding , making N13,000”, one of the protesting ad-hoc staff said.
They also complained of maltreatment by INEC. “They didn’t provide for anything for us. Some of us slept on the bench, outside, some in the class rooms, they provided mattress for some the corps members”, another staff said.
As at press time, nothing seemed to be happening and should the development continue till 2pm, 55,000 possible voters will not be able to vote in the 84 polling units in the Kosofe local government.
Meanwhile, top INEC officials are said to be working on the situation.
