Police, INEC Ad Hoc workers stranded ahead of election in Owerri

The Imo State governorship election faces potential delays in certain areas as a number of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc workers and Nigeria Police operatives have yet to embark on their assignments, even as late as 5 pm on Friday.

At RockView Hotel in Owerri’s Wetheral area, some policemen mentioned awaiting their allowances before proceeding, emphasizing the difficulty of functioning without necessary funds. Speculation arose that those who had already boarded might have received their payment, highlighting the need to prevent financial challenges at their duty stations.

An INEC ad hoc worker named Onyinye expressed her intent to board a bus to her designated work location on Saturday. She arrived at the RockView Hotel area expecting transportation but found her colleagues had already departed, complicating her journey to the assignment location.

Several other ad hoc workers were observed scrambling from one bus to another in a bid to secure transportation to their respective local government stations for election duties.

Additionally, residents were witnessed engaging in last-minute purchases as businesses prepared for closure for a significant portion of Saturday. Some were also seen boarding buses destined for their polling locations for the election.