Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The streets were virtually deserted Saturday in Abia State as voters thronged out en masse to their various polling units to cast their ballot in the presidential and national assembly elections.
A number of the polling booths in Umuahia metropolis visited by Ikengaonline revealed a massive turnout of voters.
The enthusiastic voters had started gathering at their various polling units as early as 7:00 am ahead of the official opening scheduled for 8:30 am by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Despite late arrival of voting materials in most parts of the state, there was unprecedented large turn on of voters.
Unlike the cases in the past, the streets were dry as the voting population waited patiently at their polling units to vote.
Some of the roads including Niger Road and Enugu Road which had in the past served as football pitches for street boys were a ghost of themselves.
Crowds of voters were observed at various polling centres including Amuzukwu Girls Secondary School; Ugbanankata Primary School and St. Stephen’s Primary School Umuahia.
Voting progressed peacefully during the exercise as voters waited patiently on the queue.
Voting was still in progress at Ugbanankata Primary School as at 3:38 pm when Ikengaonline visited the venue.
