Rivers State Governor Nyesom, Wike could not cast his vote because of a challenge with the BVAS machine, which checks voter cards, at his polling unit.

Electoral officials advised that he should return later as they had invited their technical team to check the device.

The Governor was there with his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, to cast their votes at the polling unit in ward 7, unit 9 Rumuepirikom, Obio Akpor local government area.

He expressed his disappointment that the BVAS machine, which uses facial and fingerprints technology, had failed to function properly.

The Governor also expressed the fear that the failure of the machine could mar the election.

Wike arrived at his polling unit 7 in Ward 9 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area with his wife, Justice Suzzette Eberechi Wike at about 10:30 am.

However, the BVAS could not accredit the Governor and his wife who were the first voters at the polling unit.

After over 20 minutes of unsuccessful tries, a female electoral official appealed to the first family members to check back.

She said technicians would be sent to rectify the fault. She disclosed that the difficulty was also being experienced in other parts of Rivers State.

Assessing the exercise after a long wait, Wike described the process as a failure.

The Governor and his wife were not the only ones affected. Salihu Ibrahim and Muhammad Inuwa were excited when they came out early to vote.

Unfortunately for the duo based in Kano, the card reader machine, known as the BVAS and which checks people’s biometric data, failed to recognise their voter cards.

“I was told to go home as the machine couldn’t sense my card, I have been voting for years here and it is unfortunate that this year I was not allowed to,” Salihu Ibrahim told reporters.

Muhammad Inuwa on his part also expressed disappointment: “As a Nigerian who wished to have expressed his fundamental right to vote, I feel let down and I am disappointed.”

The hitches were later solved and voting continued in most parts of Kano without major hitches.

Apart from few cases of card rejection by the machine, many have since voted and gone home.

One of the frontrunner presidential candidates, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party – a former governor of Kano – voted earlier in Madobi town.