Despite the two consecutive attacks within three hours in Geidam, a community in Yobe state Saturday, voting had since commenced after the return of normalcy.
Geidam residents, Ruben Audu and Dauda Ali told our correspondent that, the voting commenced around 11am-12noon depending on the centre.
Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Ahmad Makama also confirmed to Blueprint that additional time has been given to all the electorates in the area due to the late commencement of voting.
Meanwhile, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam did not travel to Bukarti his hometown for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Abdullahi Bego, the governor’s spokesman told journalists that: “following the incident in Gaidam town early in the day, which has already been brought under control and voting is now underway there, the security agencies would naturally seek to reinforce and increase security around the governor for him to travel to cast his vote”.
“That increased security around the governor will mean that vital security resources that are needed elsewhere in the state would have to be diverted and allocated to the governor”.
“The government made the decision in consultation with the security agencies that it is better and more useful for the security agents, including soldiers, police, civil defence, DSS, etc to focus their
Attention on providing security for the election throughout the state”.
