Low turnout mar Ebonyi supplementary elections

Observers have reported a low turnout in Saturday’s supplementary election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ebonyi State, as voters have refused to come out in their large numbers as recorded in the presidential and state assembly elections.

The supplementary elections which are taking place in some constituencies in seven local government areas including Abakaliki, Afikpo North, Afikpo South, Ezza North, Ezza South, Ikwo, and Ivo, is to elect the representative for the Ikwo North constituency into the Ebonyi House of Assembly.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had rescheduled the elections for Saturday, April 15, after the election of March 18 was declared inconclusive in the areas due to violence and irregularities.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), however, reports that there was a low turnout of voters in most of the polling units visited as voters have stayed away from the exercise.

Read also:INEC declares readiness for supplementary elections in Kebbi, others

The voter apathy is also occasioned by late arrival of election material in some of the polling units.

An INEC official who spoke to NAN, confirmed the apathy of voters.

“The BVAS is working well, and accreditation is ongoing but the turnout is very low compared to the last election,” the official said.

Some eligible voters who also spoke to newsmen, said the indifference was as a result of their past experience where their votes did not count.

“The voting is just a waste of time and energy because the votes do not count in any way in this country, Nigeria. So, no need for me queueing for voting,” one of the voters was quoted as saying.

Another voter also expressed worry over the election processes, pointing out that “there is a need to revamp the electoral body if we want to have credible and reliable elections in the country”.

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