The Electorate in Kebbi State have defied morning rain to vote in the ongoing local government council elections.

Checks at different polling units in the state capital, Birnin Kebbi, indicate that the turnout of people for the elections was impressive despite the rain on Friday night, followed by light showers on Saturday.

Accreditation and voting took place simultaneously in line with the guidelines issued by the Kebbi State Independent Electoral Commission.

In Birnin Kebbi, election officials arrived at polling stations before 8:30 a.m. with necessary voting materials at most of the polling units.

The INEC Presiding Officer at Garkar Magatakarda Polling Unit, Tudun-Wada Ward in Birnin Kebbi, Yinusa Shehu, said the KESIEC officials arrived before 8:30 a.m. despite the fact it was drizzling.

He said, “We have a massive turnout of people, and voters are still coming out to cast their votes,.’

He explained that so far, there was no hitch even though the exercise was manual and secret ballot voting, adding that the electorate were orderly and peaceful.

At Marafa Ward 004, Baiti Liman Polling Unit in Birnin Kebbi, voters lined up to exercise their civic responsibility.

The officials of INEC arrived at 7:30 a.m. at the Magawata Polling Unit in Marafa Ward, Birnin Kebbi, while accreditation and voting commenced at about 9:00 a.m., not as stipulated by KESIEC guidelines.

At 9:35 a.m., accreditation and voting also commenced at the Mai-Alelu Polling Unit in Nasarawa Ward 2, where Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu, was expected to cast his vote.

Some voters at Dangaladima, 003, Dangaladima Ward, Shehu Zalaka 004, Gorabu, and Zoramawa wards expressed pleasure over the early commencement of the elections at 8:30 a.m. without delay.

However, at Nasarawa Polling Unit 002 in Nagari College Ward, Birnin Kebbi, in spite of election officials’ early turnout, voters have just started coming out.

While accreditation and voting commenced at 8:30 a.m., the turnout of voters was also impressive.

At Makeran Gwandu 007 polling unit, Nagari College, where Governor Nasir Idris was expected to vote, the election officials arrived as early as 8:00 a.m.

The Presiding Officer of KESIEC, Umar Yalli, said voting commenced as early as 8:30 a.m. as stipulated by the KESIEC election and voting guidelines.

He said, “We are witnessing a hitch-free voting and accreditation and voting are taking place simultaneously. Voters turned out en masse, but because of the rain, they left to take cover as soon as they cast their votes.’’

(NAN)