Published 18th Mar, 2023

“Imagine, they gave me an already used ballot paper in my polling unit,” Halima (not real name) told FIJ.

Halima arrived at her polling unit in Wusasa, Kaduna State, late. She said by the time she arrived, many people had already voted and left.

She said an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave her just one ballot paper for the governorship election, and none for the state house of assembly, adding that the ballot paper she was given had already been thumb printed on.

“The one they gave me already had a thumbprint for the PDP guber candidate, and when I challenged the INEC official who handed it to me, another one said I should use it if it represented who I wanted to vote for,” she said.

“I told them it was wrong.”

She also stated that the INEC officials said they were only trying to save paper, but she refused and demanded for an unused one.

Halima said there were no police officers or security agents, only INEC staff and other people. She also said that because she rejected the used ballot paper and collected a fresh one, they began to move closer to her to see who she would vote for as she proceeded to cast her vote.

“I told them to shift. If not, I would report them,” she added.

“One man even came close to me at the secret ballot to lean over my shoulder, and I challenged him. He said he wanted to show me how to vote and fold it, so my ballot wouldn’t be voided. I told him to shift, or I would report him.”

Halima said she turned him off, stating that she had the right to vote the candidate she wanted.

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