Re-Run Elections: Low voter turnout in Abia, Delta, Ekiti, Imo, Taraba

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, held supplementary governorship poll in Abia, Imo and Taraba states; re-run election in Delta Central Senatorial District as well as supplementary House of Assembly election in Ilejemeje Constituency of Ekiti State, and low voter turnout was noticed in these states.

Cases of malfunctioning Smart Card Readers (SCR) as well as late arrival of election officers and materials characterised the polls in many locations across the five states.



However, Taraba recorded a huge turn out of voters in some of the 218 voting points across 10 local councils as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Arch. Darius Ishaku, won his polling booth and led in early results.

At Kofan Serki I in Tarakum Local Council, he scored 219 votes while Senator Aisha Jumai Arhasan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) got three votes.

At Kofan Serki II, the PDP candidate polled 369 votes while Arhasan got four.

Commissioners’ presence raises dust in Jalingo
However, there was near-commotion at Mohammed Primary School polling unit in Jalingo, the state capital, when two commissioners were sighted at a polling unit.

Trouble started when a chieftain of the APC asked the commissioners to leave because they were not registered voters at the polling unit.

This led to verbal exchange between PDP and APC supporters. The intervention of security personnel on ground prevented the matter from escalating.

The APC supporters alleged that the commissioners were trying to induce voters with money.
But one of the commissioners challenged those accusing him of going to the polling unit with money to induce voters to come clean with evidence to back their claim.

He explained that as a commissioner from Jalingo I constituency where the run-off was taking place, he only went there to ensure that everything went on well.

In Yelwa II Polling Unit in Chanchanji Ward of Takum local government, a party chieftain, suspected to be a member of the APC, accompanied by some thugs, invaded the polling unit insisting that his supporters from other polling units must cast their votes.

This development forced INEC officials to postpone accreditation until police restored normalcy.
…Poor turnout in Ekiti

In Ekiti, the Ilejemeje Constituency supplementary election to elect a House of Assembly member witnessed a low turn of voters and heavy presence of security personnel.

The election was generally peaceful contrary to the scenario that played out on April 11, when the poll was cancelled in 22 units due to violence.

The leading contender in the election is PDP’s Mrs. Cecelia Dada, who is challenging the incumbent, Hon Segun Erinle, of the APC.

To ensure adequate security, Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Mr Joshua Ibine, deployed a large number of policemen to the 22 units in Eda Oniyo, Iludun and Iye Ekiti, headquarters of the council, where the election took place.

The police mounted checkpoints at Ewu Ekiti, Ijesa Modu, Iludun and Ipere Ekiti, to prevent commuters and road users from entering the local council from Oye, Ido/Osi and Moba local governments as well as those travelling to Kwara State from entering the constituency.

There were also large contingents of soldiers and men and officers of the Department of State Service (DSS), who patrolled the council to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Voter apathy in Delta
…Travellers trapped on East/West Road

There was also voter apathy in Delta Central Senatorial District, Delta State. Those travelling on the ever busy East/West Road were trapped in traffic gridlock for several hours on account of the no-movement order enforced by men of the Military Joint Task Force.

The election was generally peaceful at polling units in Ughelli North, Sapele, Udu, Okpe, Ethiope East and parts of Ughelli South Local Government.

Accreditation began at the polling units at about 9 am. However, the movement restriction order was not fully enforced in some communities.

At the Ughelli main market, traders were seen displaying their wares.

Though voting was peaceful in many areas visited, some voters at Abraka Unit 7 Ward 2 could not cast their votes after they were told that voting had closed with result collation in progress at about 1:15pm.

At Units 1 and 2 of Oviore Ward 5, the Labour Party agent, Mr Philip Ogodo, alleged that voters were induced by a political party with money.

There were also reported cases of multiple thumb printing at some units in the ward.

Speaking with newsmen after he was accredited at his Eku Ward 9, Unit 16, House of Assembly candidate of the PDP in the Ethiope East Constituency, Chief Authur Akpowowo, noted that the turnout was not as high as he expected, saying “there is voter apathy.’’

Chief Fred Majemite, Political Adviser (Delta Central) to Delta State Governor, applauded the peaceful conduct of the election and expressed optimism that the PDP will win.

Former Transition Committee Chairman of Ethiope East Local Government Area, Chief Sunday Onoriode, blamed the low turnout on the cancellation of the last senatorial election result which he said did not go down well with voters.

Speaking in the same vein, a PDP chieftain in the area, Chief Anthony Onoharigho, said the exercise was peaceful, adding that the PDP would win the election.

The President General of Ugono-Orogun Community, Mr Emoemu Oriogbe, described the exercise as peaceful and expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters.

Low turn out in Abia
Reports from Abia claimed voter apathy in the 75 polling units in Aba North and Aba South local councils.

The announcement made by the Transition Committee Chairman, Chief Chimaobi Ebesike, that markets in the city would open for business while residents who had nothing to do with the election were free to go about their normal businesses, obviously, affected voter turnout.

At 11:30a.m., turnout at most of the polling units visited at Constitution Crescent Primary School, Aba South local government was poor. At Ward 12, Unit 9, only 73 voters were accredited out of the 702 registered at the unit. Voters were later seen waiting for voting to commence.

The situation was the same at Industrial Ward 2, Onyeador Close Polling Unit where 107 voters had been accredited as at 1pm.

At Industrial Ward 2, Unit 20, located at Bata Junction, the Presiding Officer, Victoria Umoh, said 46 voters were accredited while 40 voted. She declared the result as follows; PDP 6, APGA 34.
Umoh said her unit didn’t encounter any problem with the SCR and commended parties agents for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner.

At Igwebuike Ward 7, the Presiding Officer for Unit 11 announced that PDP scored 54 votes to APGA’s 46. It was the same situation in Unit 10 where PDP defeated APGA by 73 to 72 votes.
A PDP agent, Joshua Mbagwu, commended the INEC for the early distribution of electoral materials to the two polling units located at Ohabiam Health Centre along Port Harcourt Road. The tranquility in the area was almost breached when PDP agents protested the action of a suspected party agent who allegedly stormed the polling unit with recharge cards to woo voters but he was quickly whisked away by policemen.

INEC ad-hoc staff, man arrested in Imo
In spite of early morning rain in parts of Imo State, especially in Owerri municipality, the supplementary poll was held as scheduled.

At Umuduru, Isiala Mbano, voters came out in large numbers. There was also adequate security while SCRs functioned properly and voting started on schedule.

One INEC ad-hoc staff was reportedly arrested at Oru East by the REC for alleged electoral irregularity. It was also gathered that a man, who posed as an INEC ad-hoc staff but could not properly explain himself to security personnel, was whisked away for questioning.