Tribune Online which monitored the election in various parts of the state report that low voters were seen in some polling units visited. Cutting across the three senatorial districts of the state.
In many parts of urban centers like Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo business activities were at its peak. Although, in Makurdi, there was late arrival of voting materials while in some polling units along Gbanjimba, headquarters of Guma local government were deserted while people were sighted on their farms.
Reports from other parts of the state also show general apathy as voters did not turn out to vote, while in some cases few voters were seen on queue.
Governor Samuel Ortom who cast his vote around 11am Saturday commended the peaceful conduct of the election.
He stated that adequate security has been provided across the state to ensure peaceful election.
Speaking with newsmen at his country home, Governor Samuel Ortom appreciated God and people for their cooperation, stating that it was the commitment of the administration to establish democratic structure at the third tier of government in the state.
“Though we are in a difficult time now due to recession but we must follow due process that is why we have insisted that election must hold, and we have deployed enough security men to ensure peaceful election.”
At Benue, south senatorial district, when our correspondent visited Otukpo between 1pm and 2pm also discovered low turnout of voters.
A resident of Otukpo who identified himself as Ogbu told Tribune Online that there was no need stressing themselves with election since nothing positive has been realized with the change in 2015.
He said, ‘some polling units around, where few persons came out to exercise their franchise but there were no voting materials on ground, am sure you have gone around to verify what am saying’.
Deputy governor, Engineer Benson Abounu who spoke on the low turnout said, ‘there was high turnout in few places I passed but what I have seen is not too different from what happened in the past, for instance, from the result I have gathered so far indicates that there was no difference, like having 110 against three votes instead of 500 expected voters from each poling units’.
In Benue, north east. it was the same low turnout in Konshisha, Ukum, Katsina Ala council areas.
Our correspondent reliably gathered that in some polling units in the zone, voters who came out were disappointed after waiting from 8am till 11am without voting materials.
“Although some people had gone out early this morning as early as 8am and they did not get the materials and left,” Terver told our correspondent.
and then