No fewer than 36,392 voters in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State were, on Saturday, denied their voting right following the burning down of INEC Registration Area Centre (RAC) in Okposi Umuoghara in the Local Government Area by suspected political thugs.
The three wards affected out of 10 wards in the area are Oriuzor, Ekka and Umuoghara.
According to the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Godswil Obioma, who briefed journalists in Abakaliki after inspecting the areas, noted that he had reported the incident to national headquarters of the commission.
According to him, in Oriuzor RAC 009 which has 32 polling units 15,452 voters were disenfranchised while in Okposi Umuoghara RAC 07, which has 12, 802 voters, 27 voting points were affected.
The REC further noted that Ekka RAC 02 which has 16 voting points, 8,137 voters were also disenfranchised.
Meanwhile, there was violence in Ezi-Edda Town hall polling unit, Afikpo South Local Government Area of the state, where some voters were injured when suspected political thugs shot sporadically and snatched ballot box, disfranchising 3,000 voters in the area.
In an interview with Governor David Umahi, he blamed security agents for not being proactive at his Onuofukwuru polling unit in his Egugwu-Umunaga Uburu home, Ohaozara Local Government Area in the company of his wife, Rachael.
Umahi, who is also the Chairman, South-East Governors Forum noted that any failure should be blamed on desperate politicians who wanted to ascend to power against the will of the people.
He condemned the reported attack on INEC registration Area Centre in Ezza North Council area in the early hours of the day, adding that such a trend was not healthy for the country’s democracy.
Umahi said: “I speak as the Governor of Ebonyi State and the Chairman of South-East Governors Forum
“I want to commend the INEC chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.
“I can say he has very good intention for our country
“I can also say I am very satisfied with the entire process he has put in place.
“If there is a failure anywhere, it is not the problem of INEC but those of desperate politicians that want to impose themselves against the will of the people
“And this is very dangerous for our nation when people want to use guns to impose themselves on the people
“That is an indication that such leaders will not do anything for the people if they ascend.
“The consequence is a lot of youths everywhere that are doing nothing but given to cultism and armed robbery.
“That is not good for our country.”
Meanwhile, some of the voters interviewed has expressed happiness over what they described as improvements in the INEC’s logistics and processes, over what obtains in the past.