To say there is hunger and anger in the land may have become a reality following the low turnout of voters across the various polling unit centers around Bammeke and Egbeda/Akowonjo axis in the ongoing Local Government elections in the Alimosho local government part of Lagos State.
As of the time of visiting some polling units around 12noon, some of the polling booths were empty with no voters in sight except the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and one or two police operatives.
At the Polling Unit 038 at Bammeke, the transparent voters’ box on display showed about fifteen votes with no voter in sight just as the INEC officials were idly sitting down.
It was the same story at the Polling Unit 037 in front of the palace of Baale Bammeke where only four voters were on the queue to cast their votes.
Many of those spoken to emphatically expressed disappointment at the government following the hardship in the land.
A tomatoes seller at Bammeke who simply gave her name as Mummy Fola said the low turnout of voters was not far from the pain and anguish brought upon the masses by the ruling party.
According to her, what is the essence of going under the sun to queue to vote for those who do not have the interest of the masses at heart. Once they use us to climb the ladder to their various positions, they discard us like a pack of cards.
“I know many people who can not boast of how to feed their children even today, how do you expect such people to go and vote for these ungrateful souls.”
A particular man met at the Polling Unit 037 who spoke to the Tribune Online in confidence displayed his voter’s card but vowed not to cast any vote because of the frustration in the country.
He particularly cited the poor road infrastructure around the Bammeke axis which he said had added to the plights of transporters and other businesses for years.
His words: “Each time of elections, people around here always trooped out in large numbers to vote after which the candidates dumped them as against their electioneering manifestos. How long are they going to continue to cajole us.”
Going round the Bammeke axis, shop owners partially opened while others sat in front of their shops and houses showing no interest in the election.
At the polling booths, the different party agents were seen displaying their tags with no voters.
Amidst the uncertainty, women selling alcoholic drinks in plastic and sachets were busy making their brisk business as many loyalists of the various parties took over the drinking joints a situation which many people described as a time bomb that may trigger crisis in the face of any argument at any of the voting centers around.
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