The Governorship and State Assembly elections held throughout the states of the federation on Saturday witnessed very low turnout in most states, with many voters staying away from their polling units.
Besides, there were incidences of malfunctioning card readers, violence, underage voting and late arrival of election materials that characterised last Presidential and National Assembly elections.
For instance, in Lagos State, election did not start in many polling units due to the protest by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc staff over nonpayment of allowances.
In Kogi State, the exercise was marred with violence as thugs took over the stage. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, armed thugs shot indiscriminately and tried to snatch ballot boxes at the polling units opposite Bishop Delisle Catholic Cathedral in Lokoja, the state capital.
The state Commissioner of Police in Kogi, Mr Hakeem Busari, who confirmed the attack on a polling unit in Lokoja told NAN that some policemen had been mobilised to the troubled spots.
Also, PREMIUM TIMES, reported the abduction of its staff, Kunle Sanni, by political thugs for taking pictures of underage voters at a polling unit in Plateau State.
Also, two cars conveying ballot papers were impounded at Magwan Primary School, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State.
According to an eyewitness identified as Shazal, the cars were impounded and taken to the Kano State police headquarters in Bompai.
The Police in Kano also on Saturday intercepted a vehicle loaded with thumb-printed ballot papers in Kano metropolis.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Haruna Abdullahi, confirmed the arrest of the vehicle in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said the vehicle was intercepted at Magwan Polling Unit at Magwan Primary School in Nassarawa Local Government area of the state.
In Benue State, cash meant for vote-buying was intercepted by EFCC operatives in Makurdi, state capital. According to the commission in their Twitter handle, @officialEFCC, “At North Bank Area, Makurdi, Benue State, EFCC operatives intercept bags of cash meant for vote-buying. In an attempt to arrest the culprit, some thugs attacked operatives and vandalised the bus used for patrol.” Similarly, suspected hoodlums set ablaze all electoral materials, including ballot boxes and card readers on fire, at Mbalom ward in Gwer east local government area of Benue state, according to The Cable newspaper.
Commenting on the low turnout, former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday blamed the situation on irregularities observed in the presidential election.
Atiku made the observation while speaking to newsmen in Yola shortly after casting his vote at the Ajiya polling unit 02 of Gwadabawa ward of Yola North Local Government at about 12.35 pm.
He called on his supporters to remain calm and await the outcome of his legal action.
Already reports turning in from the states showed that ruling party in Southwest may retain their leadership of the zone. In Lagos, the APC is coasting home to victory
Also, counting of votes commenced early in polling units in Bauchi, producing its first shocker as incumbent governor Muhammed Abubakar of APC lost his polling unit to Bala Mohammed of PDP.
However, results from various units across the country showed that the APC is coasting home to victory in the gubernatorial elections in Lagos, Kwara, Gombe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Borno, Yobe, Niger and Katsina states.
The PDP on the other hand is retaining its hold on states in the south-south and Southeast. The party is also leading in Oyo, Taraba, Bauchi and Kano states
Reports From States:
LAGOS
Voter Apathy, Late Arrival of Materials Mar Guber, Assembly Polls
In Lagos, there was tension on Saturday morning at Ogudu collation centre over missing nine booklets of ballot papers meant for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Each of the booklets contains 100 pages meant for Ward 4 at the centre.
Our correspondents who were at the centre between 7.35 am and 8.30 am, observed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents were protesting over the missing booklets.
A PDP agent, Kunle Aladiyan said the party discovered the booklets were missing in the morning while INEC officials were distributing election materials to each wards.
Aladiyan said the party would not participate in the election without the missing booklets, adding that similar thing happened in 2015.
Edo
Apathy Mars Voting As Oyegun Suggests Same Day For All Elections
Voter apathy marred the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Benin city, as a handful of the voters reported for voting at most of the polling stations.
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, former National Chairman of APC, who voted at Edo Staff Training Centre, GRA, Benin City, attributed the low turnout to the absence of governorship election in Edo State.
Oyegun, who cast his vote at 10.43 am, said the only solution to voter apathy was to adopt a system whereby all elections would hold the same day.
Meanwhile, electoral materials for the House of Assembly election were on Saturday set ablaze at Usagbe Primary School, Ogbido in Etsako West local government Area of Edo State.
Reports had it that the hoodlums numbering about five were said to have emerged from the bush, shot sporadically to scare voters away from the polling unit before setting the place ablaze.
Ebonyi
Ogba Condemns Burning of INEC Materials In Ebonyi
Obinna Ogba, the senator representing Ebonyi Central zone on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has condemned the burning of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) materials by gunmen suspected to be political thugs at Registration Area Centre (RAC) located at community Secondary School Okposi, Umuoghara, in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State.
The incident took place early hours of Saturday in the area. The hoodlums, who were said to have shot sporadically into the air to scare away people keeping vigil at the centre, later set ablaze the school building where the election materials were housed.
Police in Ebonyi State confirmed the incident.
The area, where the incident took place is within the Senatorial zone of Senator Ogba.
Meanwhile, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, David Umahi, was leading his APC counterpart, Senator Sunday Ogbuoji in the governorship election as at last night.
KOGI
Shooting, Ballot Box Snatching Spread In Kogi
Besides, the shooting and snatching of ballot boxes, hoodlums in fake Police and Army uniforms scared away voters at the various polling units
Sunday Adwjoh, a staff of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) told newsmen that many people from Karaworo polling station ran into the church premises for safety.
Adwjoh, who spoke on phone, said, “As we speak, all of us are lying down to escape being hit by stray bullets.”
Also, at Oke Egbe Polling Unit 01 in Yagba West Local Government Area, a man was shot on the leg when thugs invaded the polling unit to snatch ballot boxes and other materials.
Tunde Oladipo, one of the victims, was said to have joined others at the polling unit to prevent the armed thugs from snatching the ballot box.
The invading thugs were, however, prevented from going away with the ballot box by the police.
KEBBI
Bagudu Hails Voter Turnout, Commends INEC
Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State on Saturday expressed happiness over the large turnout of voters in the state to exercise their franchise during Governorship and State Assembly elections.
The political season is a weird season. It is the time when the “never-do-wells” contest…
Bagudu made the remarks shortly after casting his vote at Mai-Alelu polling unit 006, Nasarawa 2 ward in Birnin Kebbi at about 11.10 am.
He said: “I am happy that the turnout of voters is impressive at polling units across the state. People came out well, even the elderly and persons with disabilities have all come out.”
BAYELSA
Violence, Shootings Mar Voting
The state on Saturday recorded violence as voting commenced late following sporadic gunshots which were reported in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Government Area ,after some armed thugs attempted to snatch ballot boxes.
It was gathered that soldiers repelled the hoodlums, preventing them from getting away with the electoral materials.
However, at Ayama, also in Ogbia LGA, electoral officers reportedly struggled with a team of soldiers who wanted to move electoral materials away from a unit.
Some thugs succeeded in carting away electoral materials at ward 17 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
It could not be ascertained which political party or whose political interests they were working for, even as community sources said that voting was disrupted in the affected units of Southern Ijaw ward 17.
Similar skirmishes were reported at Okpoama and Eweama in Brass Local Government Area.
Monday Tom Udoh, INEC’s Residential Electoral Commissioner (REC) who spoke to newsmen at Toru-Orua in Sagbama LGA, said he had had reports of ballot box snatching in some parts of the state.
He said the electoral officers in the affected voting areas were expected to file official reports on the incidents.
Ifeanyi Okowa, the State governor expressed confidence in the electoral process, even as he assured his supporters that the PDP would emerge victorious in the election.
Shortly after casting his votes at about 8:40am, at unit 03 of Ward 02 in Owa-Alero, in Ika North East Local Government Area, Okowa told newsmen that his administration had partnered very well with the people to warrant a renewal of his mandate.
He, however, expressed worries about the threats by a section of the political class to disrupt the process with thugs allegedly imported from neighbouring Edo State.
Nasarawa
Irate Youth Burn Properties Of NASIEC Chairman Over Alleged Snatch Of Ballot
Irate youth in Doma local government area of the state have destroyed properties belonging to Henry Omaku, a former chairman of Doma Local government Area now Chairman Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission over alleged ballot box snatching.
Our Correspondent gathered that the incident happened at Kofar Abari Bunu polling unit of Ungwan-Dan Galadima ward in Doma.
According to an eyewitness, Abdulkadir Maigatari, an agent of Zenith Labour Party, he alleged Omaku came to the polling unit and attempted to induce voters and was resisted.
He said the suspect, whom they identified as a government officer later came back at about 1:30pm when voting was still on and took the ballot box.
Maigatari said the youth in the area gave the ballot snatcher a hot chase forcing him to smash the box and its content on the road and ran into the bush.
Meanwhile, the polling officers had to flee the area for their safety.
Mr Austin Akwe, INEC SPO for the area confirmed the incident to the Sunday INDEPENDENT said it was in corroboration with the party agents.
Rivers
Wike’s Aide Feared Dead
Another aide to Governor Nyesom Wike and former caretaker committee chairperson of Andoni local government, Mrs. Emilia Nteh was feared killed by unknown gunmen few hours to the Governorship and House of Assembly elections on Saturday.
Nteh who served on Governor Wike’s cabinet as special adviser on gender matters in the state, was said to have been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in her country home at Andoni and was taken to an unknown destination.
When contacted, the police public relations officer, PPRO, DSP, Nnamdi Omoni confirmed that Emilia was kidnapped by “unknown gunmen but we cannot say she has been killed. In the course of repelling the kidnappers, a police officer was shot dead.”
Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, confirmed the murder of Emilia Nte shortly after casting his vote in Ubima, Ikwerre LGA, adding that, “Two persons were also killed in my mother’s village”, Egbeda in Emohua LGA.
Meanwhile, after casting his vote at Unit 7, Ward 9, in Obio/Akpor LGA, Governor Nyesom Wike said “We are hoping that it will Continue to be like this. Sometimes, the voting goes on smoothly, but the main thing is at the Collation Centres.
“For now, we are satisfied and confident that we will win this election very well. We are not afraid. We don’t know how many Local Government Areas they can manipulate. But with reports we are getting, even though they are trying to be funny, we shall win”.
Ogun
EFCC Arrests Assembly Candidate For Vote Buying
There was heavy presence of men of Nigerian Army across Ogun State as the state witnessed a peaceful election.
The atmosphere during the electioneering campaign suggested a violent election as supporters of Allied People’s Movement, APM and All Progressives Congress, APC clashed at different occasions.
From Ogun Central to East and Ogun West, soldiers were stationed strategically in their numbers at about 500 meters interval.
Meanwhile, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested a candidate of the APM for the Abeokuta South State Constituency 1, Sotayo Johnson, for alleged vote buying.
Sotayo was arrested in Ward 7, Ijaye area of Abeokuta with a polythene bag filled with one thousands of naira notes.
The House of Assembly candidate, our correspondent learnt, stormed the ward with cash to induce voters in order to vote for APM.
The suspect was whisked away by the EFCC to an undisclosed destination for interrogation.
Oyo
Reps Member Feared Dead After Gun Shot in Ibadan
Hon. Temitope Olatoye Sugar, the lawmaker representing Lagelu/Akinyele Federal constituency in the National Assembly, was on Saturday shot by unknown gunmen.
Sugar, who contested the seat of Oyo Central Senatorial seat on the platform of Action Democratic Party (ADP) and lost, was reportedly shot in the face by suspected hoodlums at undisclosed location in Ibadan.
One of his aides who spoke with newsmen, said the lawmaker was rushed to the Accident and Emergency centre in University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan.
Ondo
Polls: Two Killed, One Injured
Two persons were reportedly killed yesterday in Oba-Akoko, Akoko Southwest Local Government Area of Ondo state, during the State House of Assembly election.
One other person was said to have been injured in a fracas involving security agents and youths in the community.
Sources said the fracas occurred when the youth blocked the road and attempted to prevent officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from taking election results to the collation center.
Femi Joseph, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, confirmed the incident. (Daily Independent)
