Apathy trails House of Representatives by-election in Delta

BYE-ELECTION to the House of Representatives in Warri South Constituency 1 scheduled for today is under way amid voters apathy.

Checks by Tribune Online Wednesday revealed that there’s voter apathy as most polling units are currently recording low turnout.

An unconfirmed report said a youth bearing a shot gun was shot dead at Ekorede Urhobo by a security agent.

This could not be confirmed as at press time from the Delta State Police Command.

The by-election is holding in six wards including Ubeji, Obodo and Omadino (Ward 1), Ode Itsekiri (ward 2), Ogunnu, Ekorede Urhobo (ward 3), Uguwangbue, Ekorede Itsekiri (ward 4), GRA (ward 5) and Bowen Avenue (ward 6).

At Ward 1, Ubeji, Unit 15, there were complaints is security lapses and the Area Commander, according to an official of INEC, declined being in charge of providing security in the area.

Soldiers from 3 Battalion, Nigeria Army, Effurun were later drafted to the scene to forestall the breakdown of law and order.

Voting materials were seen evenly distributed as early as 8:00a.m with assorted security agents mounting surveillance at various points.

Commercial activities in the constituency are under suspension while the by-election lasts.

There are negligible cases of malfunctioning card readers at GRA ward 5, unit 10, Mowoe Primary School, as 10:05 a.m., as well as Bowen ward 6, unit 10.

One conspicuous occurrence at most of the polling units is the absence of agents of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) while agents of other participating parties were present.

Top candidates jostling for the House of Representatives slot left behind by late Mrs Omawumi Beatrice Udoh are Prince Stanley Emiko of PDP, leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State, has again invoked the 2015 political propaganda strategies in the prosecution of electioneering campaign for their 2017 bye-election candidate, Princess Mrs Shola Ogbemi Daibo of Accord Party, Prince Stanley Emiko of PDP, among others.