Many enthusiastic voters turned out in large numbers in many polling centres in Lagos as early as 8.00a.m.for the governorship and House of Assembly polls on Saturday.

Also INEC ad hoc staff and election materials arrived early at  many polling units contrary to what obtained  in the March 28 presidential and national assembly polls.

Security agents also reported early.

These made accreditation to begin early in many polling booths, with smart cards readers working better.

In Epe, voters trooped out in large numbers as at 7.45a.m., waiting for electoral officers and materials.

They queued up in some polling units while waiting for the officers and materials.

Some of the polling centres visited are Ward A3, Units 2,5, 8 and 12 and Ward A2, Units 7, 10 and 11.

At Ward A5, Unit 33, where the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, came out for accreditation, voters turned out in large numbers.

Ambode hailed Epe residents for the impressive turnout.

The governorship candidate, who was in company of his wife, Abolanle, also commended INEC for efforts toward hitch-free polls.

He urged voters to be calm and vigilant.

Alhaji Idris Haruna, Leader of the Hausa Community, told NAN at the unit, “l have instructed members of the Hausa Community to come out en masse for accreditation and voting.

“We thank Allah for giving us peaceful presidential and National Assembly elections. We hope that these ones will also be peaceful.’’

At Ward 3, Unit 9 in Apapa Local Government Area, the PDP Governorship Candidate, Mr Jimi Agabaje,  was accredited at 10.30a.m.

He commended INEC for early arrival of electoral officers and election materials.

Agbaje expressed satisfaction at voters’ turnout.

He appealed to voters to shun violence.

In Ikorodu, election materials arrived at 8.20a.m at some  polling units, and accreditation started shortly after at Polling Units 003 and 005 at Erunwen and Itamaga, respectively in Erikorodo.

As at 8.37a.m., accreditation began at Polling Units 010, 011 at Arowolo Eluku Junction, Isele 3 and Polling Units 01/007,  Isele 1,Opposite Ayangburen Palace.

At Odoguyan area of Ikorodu, INEC officials and election materials arrived at 7.30a.m.

At Polling Units 012, Ojuemuren, Ward E1, accreditation commenced at 8.10 a.m.

Also, at Polling Unit 014, Oduyebo, Ward E1 and PU 015, Farm Settlement, Odoguyan, INEC officials arrived at 7.45 a.m. and 7.30 a.m. respectively.

NAN observed that large numbers of voters, including the elderly, arrived early for accreditation.

Security operatives advised younger voters to queue up, while the elderly were provided seats and were first attended to by electoral officers.

However, as at 9.05a.m, INEC officials and materials had yet to arrive at Polling Units located at the Grammar School, Ota Ona, Ireshe,  Oriwu Road, all in Ikorodu.

There was orderliness at the polling units as voters were taking numbers and forming queues, waiting for the arrival of electoral officers and materials.

Many polling units in Badagry Local Government Area of the state started accreditation of voters at 8.00a.m. as smart cards readers and other election materials arrived at about 7.45a.m.

In Units 15, 16, 17 and 20 of Ward A, there were already queues as at 8.00a.m.

Card readers were functioning well.

Accreditation began at 8.05a.m at the Unit 9 of Ward F with voters enthusiastic to be accredited. Cards readers were working well.

Card readers were also functioning properly at Units 11 and 12 of Ward E as accreditation was hitch-free.

NAN reports that accreditation in Ward 11, Units 22 and 30, and Ward 5, Units 1 and 2 in Agege Local Government Area started at 8.00 a.m.

Mr Segun Adelabu, an INEC ad hoc worker, expressed satisfaction that election materials arrived in time at Unit 007. in Ward 5 in the council area.

Mrs Adunni Agidiomo, an INEC worker, said that the Incidence Form would still be used in a situation where card readers failed.

At Unit 08 Ward 7 at Community High School, Egan in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, four INEC officials attached to the unit arrived at about 8.15 a.m. and commenced accreditation at 8.25 a.m.

Voters were seen arriving at the polling unit for accreditation.
There were no long queues as at 9.00am. Accreditation was peaceful as card readers were working well.
NAN reports that police officers and officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were seen monitoring the exercise.

At Iga Iduganran Street near the Palace of the Oba of Lagos on Lagos Island, election materials and the electoral officers arrived at 7:15 a.m.

Accreditation of voters commenced at Onimole Polling Unit 013 in Ward C1 at 8.00 a.m.
Miss Ronke Adeoye, a Presiding Officer, told NAN that she  slept in the area to ensure that the exercise would start early.

“We came late during the March 28 presidential elections, this made voting to start very late.

“We didn’t want this to repeat itself; that was why we slept in the,” she told NAN.

Kuburat Osuolata, a Nollywood actress, expressed satisfaction at the early arrival.

There was also an impressive turnout of voters at Polling Units 081 and 024, Ward 11 at Aboru in the Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Officials of the INEC arrived at 7.32 a.m. and 7.40 a.m. respectively at both units.

Accreditation of voters began at 8.00 a.m. at Polling Unit 081, while the process began at 8.15 a.m. at Polling Unit 024.

Two police officers were attached to each polling unit to ensure
security and orderly conduct of voters.

At Polling Units 025 and 026 in the same area, however, INEC officials had yet to arrive as at 8:50 a.m., a situation that did not go down well with some of the voters.

A former Chairman of Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area in Alimosho LGA, Mr Augustine Arogun, commended the impressive turnout of voters in the area.

However, at Unit 023, Zone 9 at Baba-Ewe Junction, Ago-palace, under Oshodi/Isolo LCDA, two card readers failed.

INEC officials arrived at the polling unit at 8.15a.m. but could not commence accreditation due to the faulty machines.

One of the officials took the card readers away for repair but did not return as at 9.36a.m.

A human rights activist and election observer, Mrs Joe Okei-Odumakin, told journalists that she was satisfied with the early supply of election materials by INEC.

Okei-Odumakin, the President of the Campaign for Democracy, said that she had visited 21 polling booths as at 10.30a.m.