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Widespread voter turnout marred Saturday’s governorship and Homes of Meeting polls with some governors and different notable Nigerians lamenting the scenario.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH confirmed that low turnout was recorded in lots of states as extra voters boycotted the governorship and state meeting polls in comparison with the presidential and Nationwide Meeting polls held three weeks in the past.
In Lagos State, Sunday PUNCH noticed that at Polling Unit 085, Ward 3, Ikeja, the place the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, voted, solely 50 out of the 324 registered voters got here out to vote.
Tinubu, who voted round 9.30am alongside his spouse, Oluremi, nevertheless, didn’t converse with journalists.
However Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who voted at Polling Unit 006 at Ward E3, St. Stephens Nursery and Main Faculty, Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island LGA, mentioned he was impressed by the voter turnout.
“My spouse and I are proud of the turnout at this polling unit,” he mentioned.
Atiku blasts INEC
In Adamawa State, there was widespread voter apathy.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Occasion, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who voted at Polling Unit 012, Ajiya, Yola, mentioned he had misplaced confidence in INEC.
Atiku, who got here second within the February 25 presidential ballot and had rejected the outcome, mentioned he was skeptical and anticipated nothing optimistic from the elections.
However Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, who voted at Polling Unit 004, his dwelling city within the Madagali LGA, described the turnout as passable.
Obi laments apathy
In Anambra State, the presidential candidate of the Labour Occasion, Peter Obi, lamented that many registered voters didn’t present up for the state Meeting ballot on Saturday.
Obi, who got here third within the presidential ballot and has additionally rejected the outcome, mentioned he believed that the low voter turnout was as a result of the result of the February 25 presidential election didn’t mirror the desires of the individuals.
“The voters had been discouraged to come back to vote due to what occurred within the final ballot that didn’t mirror the individuals’s want,” Obi mentioned.
Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, additionally decried the low voter turnout however he counseled INEC for the early graduation of the voting course of.
Additionally in Enugu State, there was additionally low voter turnout.
Voters scared – Amaechi
In Rivers State, certainly one of our correspondents reported that youths had been seen enjoying soccer on the streets of Port Harcourt, unconcerned concerning the day’s elections.
The low turnout of voters may not be unconnected to the political rigidity within the state, coupled with the present of power by the army and the police on Friday.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who voted at Polling Unit 17, Ward 8, Ubima, IKwerre LGA, mentioned there was worry within the air.
He mentioned, “There’s voter apathy. I don’t know whether or not its cuts throughout the entire of Nigeria, however there’s voter apathy in Rivers State. No person needs to come back out as a result of individuals are scared.”
Voters intimidated – El-Rufai
In Kaduna State, the lengthy queues of voters seen through the presidential and Nationwide Meeting elections had been absent on Saturday, regardless of early arrival of INEC officers.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who needed to keep in queue for a number of hours through the presidential election, lamented poor voter turnout for the governorship and state meeting polls.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 024, Ward 07, Ungwan Sarki, Kaduna North LGA, blamed the scenario on alleged voter intimidation.
“What I’m seeing is that the turnout is a bit of bit low in comparison with the presidential election. INEC has accomplished very properly,” the governor mentioned.
However there was huge voter turnout in Southern Kaduna.
The deputy governorship candidate of the PDP in Kaduna State, Dr. John Ayuba, who voted at Samaru, mentioned the big turnout signified individuals’s craving for a authorities that will assure their safety.
In Ondo State, Sunday PUNCH studies low voter turnout in a number of native authorities areas estimating that the entire variety of accredited voters was about 30 per cent of registered voters
The Speaker of the Ondo State Home of Meeting, David Oloyeloogun, decried the scenario.
Saraki expresses fear
In Kwara State, there was additionally voter apathy regardless of early arrival of INEC officers.
Lamenting the scenario, fast previous Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, mentioned, “The method is occurring peacefully, however clearly we are able to all see that the turnout is low; individuals are nonetheless a bit of bit disenchanted on the final elections as INEC has disenfranchised lots of people.”
The Chief of Workers to President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who voted at Polling Unit 004 Akanbi Ward, Ilorin South LGA, Ilorin, additionally described the train as peaceable.
In Oyo State, there was additionally low voters’ turnout in nearly all of the polling items visited by Sunday PUNCH.
INEC officers, who arrived early, and celebration brokers had been seen ready for the voters to reach.
The low voters’ turnout in Ibadan may not be unconnected with the killing of three individuals on Wednesday, throughout a conflict between supporters of the All Progressives Congress and the PDP at Iya Court docket, Ile-tuntun, South-East LGA.
In Edo State, there was additionally low turnout of voters. Governor Godwin Obaseki, who voted at Emokpae Main Faculty Ward 4, Oredo LGA, mentioned the scenario might be due to heavy safety presence.
The governor mentioned, “This isn’t the sort of turnout we discover or get in elections on this centre. Clearly, the intense safety measures which have been taken needs to be relaxed. As you possibly can see, there’s a complete lockdown of town which isn’t permitting individuals to come back out to train their franchise.
“It will be important that we’ve got safety but it surely can’t be this overwhelming as a result of this heavy presence of the safety males throughout town is a deterrent and scary for most individuals to remain at their polling items.”
Within the KwandeLGA of Benue State, the election was marred by errors on poll papers.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner within the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, mentioned, “The issue in Kwande is that there’s printing error of the poll papers. There are two state constituencies and what ought to have been placed on one constituency was mistakingly placed on the opposite. This can be a printing error from Abuja and due to stage of credibility we’ve got constructed we couldn’t open that poll papers until this morning.
“I’ve defined to political leaders throughout the celebration spectrum but it surely seems they aren’t satisfied and subsequently they don’t assume that the method ought to proceed.”
Nonetheless, Governor Samuel Ortom, who voted at Gbanjimba, Guma LGA, described the train as peaceable, including that the turnout was spectacular.
“The turnout could be very spectacular. It’s simply round 9am and extra individuals are coming. Our individuals are extra sensitised and they’re right here to guard their votes till it’s transmitted,” the governor mentioned.
Additionally, a former Senate President, David Mark, who voted alongside his spouse, Helen, within the Otukpo space of the state, mentioned the train was easy and peaceable.
He mentioned, “Up to now, the method has been easy and orderly right here in my space. I hope the method will proceed seamlessly all through the nation.”
In Ogun State, the Senior Particular Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Public Communications, Remmy Hazzan, counseled the voter turnout however alleged that there have been names of useless individuals on the voter register at Polling Unit 6, Ward 14, Omu, Odogbolu LGA.
Hazzan mentioned, “On this specific unit, we’ve got a formidable turnout, however if you happen to test the voters’ register, you will notice that there’s voters’ apathy as a result of some individuals on the listing are useless.
“My father’s title is in that register however he died about eight years in the past. His title hasn’t been faraway from the register.”
In Niger State, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mohammed Bago, who spoke to journalists after casting his vote at Twashagi Rabba Polling Unit 010 in Bida, Bago mentioned, “INEC has accomplished very properly and we’re okay. We don’t have any drawback for now. Every thing is okay. The BVAS is working. The turnout is huge.”
Oyebanji commends INEC
Our correspondents in Ebonyi and Ekiti states equally reported voter apathy.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, who voted at Ward 6, Unit 3, Okelele at Ikogosi Ekiti, Ekiti West LGA, nevertheless, lauded INEC over enchancment on the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, describing it as a fantastic worth addition to the electoral course of.
Ex-minister alleges intimidation
In Nasarawa State, a former Minister of Data and Director-Normal of the Nasarawa State PDP Marketing campaign Council, Labaran Maku, blamed poor voter turnout on alleged intimidation by APC brokers.
In Borno State, there was additionally widespread low voter turnout though there was a well timed arrival of election supplies.
I’m assured – Ganduje
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State expressed confidence that the ruling APC would overwhelmingly win.
Nonetheless, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, counseled the big turnout of voters for the governorship and state Home of Meeting elections.
Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, referred to as on INEC to make sure that the elections mirror the desires of the voters within the state.
NBA hails train
In the meantime, the Nigerian Bar Affiliation counseled the conduct of the governorship and Home of Meeting elections, saying there have been noticeable enhancements from the February 25 presidential and Nationwide Meeting elections.
The NBA President, Mr Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, mentioned this at a digital information convention from Kebbi, the place he noticed the elections, in response to a Information Company of Nigeria report.
He mentioned, “INEC officers arrived at polling items on time and voting began at 8.30am throughout many polling items and this seems to be the pattern throughout the nation.”
The NBA equally reported that BVAS machines functioned very properly through the elections and that voting ended earlier in contrast to the earlier elections.
“Our observers on the sector mentioned there have been incidences of violence in some polling items, together with Lagos State.
“In a specific polling unit, it was reported that thugs attacked voters who weren’t voting for a specific celebration.
“Now we have verified a video report despatched by our observers, which confirmed thugs overtly saying on the streets in Ajegunle that any voter who won’t vote for a specific political celebration shouldn’t come out to vote.
“We additionally noticed that there was vote shopping for throughout the nation, even in some locations the place I noticed the elections,” the NBA president added.
- Tales by: Friday Olokor, Leke Baiyewu, Tope Omogbolagun, Godwin Isenyo, Dennis Naku, Tunde Oyekola, Israel Bulus, Ademola Adegbite, Adeyinka Adedipe, Hindi Livinus, John Charles and Sodiq Ojuroungbe, Ikenna Obianeri, Edward Nnachi, Animasahun Salman, Abiodun Nejo, Daud Olatunji, Peter Dada, Collins Sunday, Uthman Abubakar, Raphael Ede and Tukur Muntari, DANIEL AYANTOYE
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