Visually impaired voters lament deplorable roads, seek simplified voting process

Lagos – A septuagenarian and a visually impaired voter, Alhaji Muideen Onigbanjo, on Saturday decried the deplorable roads in Oshodi and its environs in Lagos State.

Onigbanjo, who defied the early morning rainfall to come out and vote, said in Lagos that bad roads in Oshodi were enormous.

He called on the incoming chairman and councilors of the Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area, to initiate strategies aimed at repairing the bad roads.

Onigbanjo, 79, said that many people were capitalising on the bad roads to criticise the government.

He said that many people had refused to vote because of the bad roads within the area.

Onigbanjo said he had encouraged many to vote so as to make a difference for the development of the area.

He said he defied the rain to come out and vote because people contesting the election were like his sons.

“I have been in politics for long before this condition and this ward –Afariogun – is my ward and I’m a member of Boladale zone.

“The contestants today happens to be my sons and that is why it is important for me to come out and vote today,’’ Onigbanjo said.

He also called on the Federal Government to care for the senior citizens in the country.

“I want the government to rescue the aged people, the government should come to our aid; the elderly must not be neglected.

“Government should care for the senior citizens by paying them a monthly allowance,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, another septuagenarian and partially blind, Bamidele Olupo, urged the Independent Electoral Commission to make election process easier for aged people.

Olupo, 75, who cast his ballot at polling unit 073 in the ward at Ikotun/Igando LCDA, told the NAN that simplifying the process would enable more aged people to vote.

“If not for the help of people around me, I won’t have been part of this exercise because of the stress of going out to find your polling centre and name during accreditation.

“My sight is very poor, but I still take it upon myself to exercise my civic right.

“But some old people do not have the means to go out and do the same.

“Though the voting process has improved a bit, there is still room for more improvement,’’ Olupo said. (NAN)

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