Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Voter apathy seems to mar the Saturday (Today’s) guber and state assembly polls in Abia State, which so far has witnessed low turnout of voters in various polling units in Umuahia and Aba.
Although the exercise started earlier than it did during the February 25 presidential and national assembly polls, many of the polling units were scanty.
At Amuzukwu Girls Secondary School Umuahia where over 2000 voter surged up during the presidential poll, only a few of them had so far turned up for today’s exercise.
The exercise was however, peaceful as voting began a bit early unlike in the previous exercise where materials for the election arrived late.
In an interview with Ikengaonline, one of the voters, Mrs Felicia Ojukwu, attributed the voter apathy to the irregularities that marred the presidential poll which she said was rigged against the actual winner.
She said that a lot of voters were demoralised as a result of their stolen mandate during the presidential poll.
This, according to her, led to lack of interest the lack of interest in the governorship and house of assembly elections.
Another voter who did not want to be mentioned expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the poll.
She attributed it to the heavy presence of security during the exercise.
Mrs Ojukwu who believed Peter Obi of Labour Party won the presidential poll, said they would not give up until their stolen mandate was restored.
She, however, gave kudos to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for beginning the exercise early.
Reports from other parts of the state say the polls though peaceful was witnessing low turnout.
