By Alex Enebeli
The Governorship and State Assembly elections in Anambra and Enugu States witnessed early arrival of materials in many parts of the state but with low turnout of voters.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondents who monitored the situation in the states reports that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived in many polling units as early as 7.30am.
Accreditation and voting began early in polling units simultaneously.
Meanwhile, only the state Assembly election is being conducted in Anambra while governorship, state Assembly and the rescheduled Enugu East senatorial elections held in Enugu State.
Some voters, party agents in Uwani, of the council area lauded INEC for early arrival of election materials in some polling units in the area.
Some of them who spoke to NAN said they were surprised that INEC officials showed up before 8am unlike what they experienced during the Presidential and National Assembly elections held in Feb. 25 where INEC officials and election arrived some polling units between 12 noon and 2pm.
NAN correspondent who monitored Enugu South Local Government Area reports there were low turnout of voters at Christ Church polling units 001 to 005 Uwani, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu, polling units 004 to 007.
The security personnel were already on ground to monitor the exercise and the voting was peaceful.
A voter who simply gave her as Mrs Igwebike said she was surprised to see INEC officials by few minutes past 8am, describing it as a new development.
She attributed the low turnout of voters to what happened during the last election as well as early arrival of INEC officials.
“People will turn out and it is early to judge or call it voters apathy but election umpire must be commended for starting as scheduled,” she said.
A party agent, Friday Uwa, while lauding the election for coming early, charged them to do the needful by ensuring that people’s votes counted.
Meanwhile, the Presiding Officer, who spoke to NAN on anonymity said they came early to avoid repetition of what happened during the presidential election.
“We came here before 7:40 but voters are not on queue like they did in the last election.
Another voter, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonimity, said that the outcome of last presidential election demoralised many from coming out to vote for the gubernatorial and the state assembly.
“Actually, many will not come out for this election because the Feb 25 presidential election really demoralised everyone not just in Enugu States but all over the country,” she said.
In Enugu East LGA, turnout of voters for the Governorship, House of Assembly and the rescheduled Senatorial elections were encouraging but not massive when compared with the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Electoral materials, staff and the security personnel arrived Abakpa primary school,National Grammar School, Nike under Abakpa ward one by 8:20am
At the Housing Estate Primary School, Ugwogo and Umuchigbo, the material, security personnel arrived by 9:30 as accreditation and voting commenced between 8.30am and 9.45am.
Speaking after casting his vote, An octogenarian, Mr Solomon Nnamchi JP, said the election started peacefully and wished it would continue without violence or manipulation.
Nnamchi, who is 83 years old, said that the voting process was fast and smooth with the mode of accreditation and voting.
He urged the electorates not to fight for the candidates as they were the same and always go after the election to recycle themselves.
Mrs Nnenna Amah, the INEC Electoral Officer in Nsukka LGA, said the, sharing and movement of materials to polling units had been smooth.
Amah thanked party officials, observers, security agencies and other stakeholders who monitored it for their cooperation that ensured hitch free distribution and movement of INEC personnel and materials to polling units.
Other political political party agents in Nsukka LGA INEC told NAN that the sharing and movement of materials were smooth.
Thy commended INEC for the job well done and urged the commission to keep the same till the end of the election.
INEC completes sorting of materials at Eha-Ndiagu ward RAC center also in Nsukka Local Government Area, and materials moved to various polling units by 9.15am.
Voting commenced at polling units 004, 005, 006 and 0013 with voters just trickling in.
So far, the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) accredited voters smoothly without hitches.
A voter, Mr Basil Ossai cited lack of enthusiasm by people to come out and vote and blamed the situation on rain that fell yesterday.
“Many people have gone to the farm because it rained yesterday night,” he said.
Ossai believed that people would still come out to vote.
At the Eha-Nduagu RAG center some hoodlums who allegedly came to disrupt the election were apprehended by the youths and handed over to the security.
Also, in Ogbodu-Aba ward in Udenu Local Government Area, materials have arrived in all the 11 polling units in the area.
Mr Sunday Ugwueze, a voter told NAN that in all the polling units, the BVAS .were working in perfect conditions.
In Anambra, turnout of voters in most polling units in Awka and environs for March 18 state assembly election was very low.
Correspondent of NAN, who visited some polling units within Awka township, reports that electoral workers arrived before 8am in most of the units.
They include Awka South Aroma 1, PU. 002, Aroma 2, 008, Aroma 3, PU.007, Amudo Hall 2, PU 009, Ukwuorji 5, PU. 006, and Ogbugbankwa PU. 011.
Also at Adabebe Amawbia Polling units 1 and 2 Polling, Agu Awka 09 polling units 005 and 0012, the turnout was low but there were presence of security operatives and party agents.
Pastor Emeka Okoli, a voter at Aroma Awka 1 told NAN that the apathy being recorded was due to the poor handling of February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.
“As you can see many people are not here now, by this time during last election, more than 150 people were already here.
” For people to show up in their numbers in future elections, INEC must make sure they stick to the rules”, he said.
In Onitsha, it was a similar situation as officials of INEC arrived early with their Electoral materials for the House of Assembly elections in Anambra.
Speaking with NAN in Ward 9, unit 8, the Presiding Officer, Olusanya Adedotun, commended INEC for the improvements on the election.
According to him, INEC took the electorate complain to heart and improved on the process. We worked all through the night.
“Names of those going to take part in the elections were pasted early unlike the presidential election.
“We commenced screening and accreditation early and voting started at about 8:01 a. m“, he said.
NAN observed that there was security presence at all the polling units visited.
(NAN)
