Low turnout characterises Nasarawa LG poll

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7 years ago

MOST of the polling units in Lafia local government area of Nasarawa state remained a shadow of its own, as few people were seen in some of the electoral points visited.

The LG poll which seems to be purely one party affairs, as many of the political parties in the state have backed out from the contest, describing it as walkover exercise by the ruling party the All Progressives Congress (APC).

But the election empire, the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission, (NASIEC) has insisted that about 21 political parties have indicated interest to participate in the poll, rendering the exercise very chilled.

Investigation revealed that none of these 21 political parties agents was seen around any polling units, only security operatives were mounting position around the vicinity.

Tribune Online went round to monitor the election in Lafia local government area of the state, reported that in Bukan Sidi polling unit of Akurba ward only three women were physically seen at the unit.

One of the women who gave her name as Aisha Muhammed, said: ” I have been waiting here for the past two hours without seeing anybody apart from three of us.”

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Reaching St. William polling unit Gayam ward, the turn out was also very low and the election has commenced as the returning officer Mannir Ibrahim said the exercise was supposed to commence by 10:30 am as he was supposed to attend to 600 voters, but the electoral materials arrived at 1:30 pm.

One of the political parties who has shown interest to participate in the LG poll, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) expressed dismay over the election process.

Chairman of the party, Hon. Danladi Muhammed Musa lamented that they were denied entry into the NASIEC office to observe how the distribution of materials is done, adding that they were denied logistic funds as the electoral act spelt out.

In the same vain, the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) in the state, had earlier said it would not participate in the election.

The party PRO, Umar Muhammed Bwala reiterated the party’s position on a phone interview with our correspondent in Lafia on the day of the election.