Low turnout mars rescheduled election

[Mirror]

Low turnout of voters marked Sunday's rescheduled governorship election in Obosi Local Government Area.

Some of the polling stations recoded the turnout of a few persons who came out from the church to cast their votes.

Accreditation commenced in most places between 11a.m. and noon to pave the way for people who went to church to participate.

In Obodu Urowulu, Central School, Umuata and Ire polling units, some of the voters queued for accreditation and later voting while many others declined to be part of the process.

INEC rescheduled the election in the area following late arrival of election materials on Saturday

In obedience to the directive of the APC, party polling agents yesterday boycotted the rescheduled election.

In some of the polling units within the Obosi Registration Area, where election took place yesterday, no APC polling agents were sighted at the polling units. Those present at the polling units were agents of APGA, Labour Party and National Conscience Party, NCP.

As at 1p.m. some churches are still having their normal Sunday and the situation prevented some Christians, especially Church workers from participation in the election.

Despite the accreditation of voters being shifted from 8a.m. to noon and voting exercises changed from 12:30p.m. to 2p.m., to give chance to Christians to have opportunity of performing their civic duties, many electorates in the area did not turn up for the election.

National Mirror visited to many of the polling units in Obosi Registration Area shows that low participation in the exercise. From the records made available to National Mirror , less than 10 per cent of total registered voters took part in the election.

In Polling Unit 038, out of 996 registered voters, only 66 people were accredited for the election. In Polling Units 055 at St. Mary Nursery/Primary School, Obosi, 65 voters were accredited out of the 912 registered voters. As at 1:45pm only 46 voters were accredited at Amaoliora Square II out of 900 registered voters.

[Glory Skales Charity]

Low turnout of voters is something we are always experiencing in elections in the country. That is not encouraging