The last minute change of polling unit at Ungwan Muazu District in Kaduna South on Saturday elicited reactions from voters, with hisses and murmurs renting the air.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the usual polling area of the Unguwan Muazu District was the Boko Arena (Filin Boko), where voters had gathered, waiting for officials of the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission.
Upon arrival at the unit at about 8.35am, the officials announced a change of voting centre from the usual place to Government Girls Day Secondary School, Kinkinau, a distance of one kilometer, but in the same District.
The change in venue instantly attracted subtle protest as the electorate grumbled, just as they hissed and murmured, almost in unison.
Some of them who spoke to NAN said the ward had more than five districts and arrangements of where each district would vote should have been made known earlier before the day of the election.
A voter, Hafsa Waziri, said she arrived the polling unit at about 7:30am and was waiting to exercise her franchise when the change in venue was announced.
Waziri said: “With all the time l have stayed and energy l have wasted, l still have to walk to Day Bola (Government Girl Day Secondary School, Kinkinau).
“It is stressful.”
Another electorate, Abdulaziz Ahmadu, who arrived the voting centre by 7am, said: “It is unfortunate that after wasting time here, they are asking us to go to a different venue,”
Also, Aminu Muhammadu, another voter, said the electorates might lose interest in voting as a result of change in venue.
Muhammadu said: “A lot of voters, especially women, will go back home.
“There are no public transport to take them to the new venue even though it can be walked in minutes.”
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