More soldiers, police than voters at Anambra supplementary elections

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Voters apathy on Saturday trailed the on-going Anambra supplementary election in some parts of Onitsha metropolis, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A NAN correspondent who monitored the exercise in polling units in Ward 6 in Onitsha South Local Government Area and a polling unit in Ward 9 in Onitsha North, reported that INEC was fully prepared for the exercise.

It was gathered that election materials and INEC personnel arrived at the various polling booths as early as 7 a.m. while  sensitive electoral materials were also on ground with the electoral officers.

However, the electorate were not forthcoming as expected as most residents had decided to go to their daily businesses.

There was high number of security personnel at each polling booth, which in some cases, out-numbered the voters who turned out.

Mr Chidi Okereke, a resident of Zik Avenue in Fegge, told NAN that the materials, INEC main and ad hoc staff, as well as security agencies were in place as early as 7a.m.

Okereke, who is a member of Fegge Community Police Public Relations Committee, said that mass movement of residents out of Fegge hindered the the conduct of the polls.

“Although, you cannot blame the people because having sacrificed some days for the election, they did not see reasons for the cancellation (postponement) of the result in the first place,’’ he said.

Mr Ndubuisi Nwokabia, a worker at the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Onitsha South area, told said that the residents were looking at the supplementary election as disturbance now “since at the first day the turn-out was very very high’’.

“This is one of the areas in Anambra State where people turn-out en mass to vote during election but this today’s development is unlike this area,’’ Nwokabia, who is a Chief Orientation and Mobilisation Officer in NOA, said.

He said that the number of security-men on ground was okay.

“Honestly there is no amount of money spent on security that is ever a waste.’’

“I want to believe that it is based on information available to security chiefs that made them bring this number of security men, especially to check activities of some dissidents in this area that can pull surprises,’’ he said.

 

[Nation]

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