Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
There was general voters’ aparthy in the November 2 Council poll in Abia State.
Some residents were sighted playing football on the lonely roads as Government ordered restriction of movements to enable voters participate in the exercise.
Unlike the 2023 general election that witnessed impressive turnout, majority of the voters in the council poll stayed away from the polling booths.
At the polling units inside Amuzukwu Secondary School in Umuahia, the state capital, voters were very scanty.
The few voters at the centre told Ikengaonline that voting started very late.
The Presiding Officer in one of the units at the centre, Ms Uchenna Precious, confirmed the late arrival of voting materials, but blamed in on the breakdown of the vehicle conveying them to the centre.
She, however, said everything had been moving on well since they commenced.
There was no incidence of violence or manipulation anywhere so far except that voters’ turn out was generally low.
Some party agents at the unit also complained about the low turn out of voters.
One of the agents, Uche Nwachukwu of the ruling Labour Party, told our Correspondent that the exercise was smooth.
He said he was impressed by the peaceful conduct of the exercise despite low turn out of voters.
Another party agent, Azubuike Ejidike, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, expressed dissatisfaction over the late arrival of voting materials.
He also noted that the exercise was peaceful despite voters’ aparthy.
Counting of votes is expected to commence by 6pm.
