Ebonyi LG election records low turnout, late arrival of materials

The Local Government election in Ebonyi has suffered voters’ apathy and boycott by opposition parties as only the ruling All Progressive Congress presented candidates for the exercise.

Freelanews reports that the election was held in the 171 wards of the 13 councils of the state on Saturday.

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People came out in trickles to vote while election materials and officers of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission arrived late at many polling units.

The electorates, who spoke with press attributed the apathy to the non-fielding of candidates by the opposition parties.

In most units, the electoral officers and materials arrived late as accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously at 10:40 a.m.

There was low voter turnout in Oroke Onuoha Community Primary School polling unit, Oroke Onuha Playground unit, Ebonyi Local Government as well as at the Stadium polling unit 003 in Abakaliki local government area.

In some areas in the Abakaliki metropolis, people were seen going about their businesses, though there were restrictions on human and vehicular movements.

An electorate, Mr Chigozie Nwafor, said the low turnout was due to the non-fielding of candidates by opposition parties.

“You can see, it is only the candidates of the All Progressives Congress that are in for the elections and no other parties,” Nwafor said.

Another resident and politician, Onyeka Nworie, alleged that the EBSIEC did not give political parties a level playing ground to participate in the elections.

According to Nworie, only the APC, the ruling party in the state, was participating in the elections.

“PDP, Labour Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance are nowhere to be found,” he said.

Also in Polling Unit 003, Edukwu Oferekpe in Izzi local government area electoral officers and materials arrived late.

Ms Lucy Nwogbaga, Returning Officer at the Edukwu Oferekpe Unit, said that the voting could not start early due to the early morning rain.

“There were also delays from the collation centre. We could not move and go to the polling on time,” she added.

On voter turnout, Nwogbaga expressed hope that the electorates would come out to vote and noted that the processes had been smooth.

Mr Chukwu Eze also attributed the low turnout to the early morning rain in the state.

Quadri Olaitan