KogiDecides2023: Dispute Erupts Between Voter, INEC Official over Pen Usage

A minor dispute arose at 7:50 a.m. on Saturday at the Omepa LGEA Primary School in the Igalaogba ward of Idah Local Government Area (LGA) in Kogi State (PU 009, RA 01) during the ongoing elections. The incident involved a voter, Wada Muhammed, and an election official from INEC.

Mr Muhammed expressed concern over the pen provided by the election officials, suspecting that it could easily erase inscriptions on the result sheets. In an attempt to ensure the credibility of the voting process, he had purchased different pens to offer to the officials.

The election official, identified as a National Youth Corps member serving as the Presiding Officer, initially declined to accept any pen from Mr Muhammed. However, after a heated discussion that transitioned from their native Igala dialect to English, and with the persuasion of Assistant Presiding Officers, the Corps member finally acquiesced to use an alternative pen.

Despite not accepting the pen offered by the voter, the official used a different pen, one which Mr Muhammed acknowledged as similar to the one he had brought, resolving the issue.

The polling unit where the incident occurred boasts one of the largest voter populations, as indicated by profiles posted around the polling station, with a recorded 1,599 voters.

Notably, several other polling units in Igalaogba ward, Idah LGA, witnessed the timely arrival of electoral materials and officials, indicating the smooth commencement of the election process.

The tussle over the choice of pen briefly stirred concerns, but a resolution was reached, allowing the electoral process to proceed unhindered in this crucial phase of Kogi State’s elections.