There was a low turnout of registered voters and late distribution of election materials in the Niger State Local Government election held on Thursday across the state.
Our correspondent who monitored the election observed that in Chanchaga and Bosso local government areas of the state, most of the polling units commenced the exercise around 12 noon and 1:00 pm.
It will be recalled that the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barr. Tanko Beji, had urged party members to boycott the elections following a court case instituted against the ruling APC-led administration in the state.
Presiding Officers, Isah Adamu from Tilapia Unit and Maikunkele, Gidan Sarki Unit, Malam Tanko Yakubu Maji expressed disappointment over the low turnout of the voters, adding that the ballot papers consisted of 13 political parties but only two of the parties showed up for the election.
Chanchaga APC’s chairmanship candidate, Dr. Mustapha Jibrin, in an interview with journalists, applauded the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) and Governor Abubakar Sani Bello for creating a better atmosphere for free, fair, and peaceful council elections in the state.
He assured the electorate of making them proud when he eventually emerges as the elected Council Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Council.
He also appealed to the voters to sustain the tempo of voting for the APC and its candidates during the forthcoming 2023 general elections not only in Niger State but across the country.
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Meanwhile, Governor Sani Bello commended the conduct of the local government election after casting his vote at his polling unit at Alkali Mustapha unit of Kontagora Local Government.
The governor who faulted the late commencement of the elections due to what he described as a banditry attack along Kontagora and other parts of the state on the eve of the elections, commended the security agencies for urgently repelling the senseless and unwarranted attack by the hoodlums.
“There was an attack a day before the elections along Minna-Kagara-Kontagora routes by bandits, many travellers couldn’t proceed with their journey at that moment and that has definitely affected the movements of sensitive election materials to that axis of the state,” he said.
The NNPP senatorial candidate in Kontagora senatorial zone, Alhaji Ibrahim Wali, in separate remarks also commended the conduct of the elections and urged the state electoral commission on the need to be fair on the outcome of the election.
Hon Abdullahi Idris Garba representing Kontagora/Mariga/Mashegu and Wushishi constituency commended politicians and security agencies in the zone for making the activities of the elections peaceful.
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