Different situations were being recorded as the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC is conducting both re-run and bye-elections in some states.
While some voters are commending the commission for a well-done job, others have decided to stay away from the polling units just as massive turnout was reported in some states.
The elections are holding in 80 Local Government Areas across 575 registration areas and 8,934 polling units.
The 26 states include Ebonyi, Yobe, Kebbi, Lagos, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, Borno, Kaduna, Plateau, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Cross River, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Surulere residents thump up INEC
Surulere resident of Lagos State on Saturday have praised the INEC for the seamless voting in the six wards of Surulere Federal Constituency 1.
They thumped up the tight security at the various polling units.
Some of the voters at Ward 08, polling unit 017, spoke with our correspondent.
A voter who simply identified himself as Olanrewaju said the residents were excited that the voting exercise was going on without hindrance.
“ We thank God there is no hindrance. Everything is moving well and there is no issue at all. As you can see people are happy that there is no violence. This is how an election should be.”
Another voter, Rasheedat praised the INEC on the conduct of the election, saying “With the way everything is going. We believe that the final result will reflect the voice of the people of Surulere. The election is peaceful and we are fine.”
Niger polls hitch-free
The by-election into the Niger State Assembly seat of the Lavun constituency is going on without any hitch.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Shawulu Dan-Mamman, revealed after inspecting the polling units in the area
“The election is ongoing without any threat to disrupt it; with the mass deployment of police personnel and other security agencies here, we will achieve a hitch-free election.’’
Dan-Mamman explained that he was in the area to encourage security agencies involved in the election to discharge their duties effectively.
Electoral materials arrived at 7.30am in the area while voting holds in nine registration areas across 32 poling units in Lavun with registered voters of 19,121.
Taraba voters stay away
Prospective voters failed to show up at polling units to elect the House of Representatives vacant seat of the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency.
The bye-election is mean to replace the Ismaila Maihanchi who won the February 25 2023 election.
Though there were scanty voters at some polling units as electoral officials were waiting for voters as of 12.30 pm.
This is even as residents of Jalingo and Zing towns complied with the movement restriction imposed by the police.
The major contenders in the election are Sadiq Abbas of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aminu Liman of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), and Aminu Malle of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Like Taraba like Delta
It is the same voter apathy in the Delta State House of Assembly re-run election in the Ethiope-West Constituency on Saturday.
The people of Oghara, Mosogar and Jesse communities were seen going about their normal businesses as if no lelection was going on, just as there were low turnout of voters in the various polling units and wards.
The were heavy presence of security personnel and INEC ad-hoc staff on the ground at the various polling units and wards visited.
INEC Electoral Officer in Ethiope-West Local Government Area, Mrs. Beauty Ibiama, said sensitive election materials were distributed to the various polling stations as early as 6 am but added that “the people who were seen going about their businesses are in the areas where elections do not, and will not hold”.
She said INEC covered five wards including Mosogar I & II, Jesse V and Oghara I & II in the ongoing rerun election in the Constituency.
Another low turnout in Ebonyi
Saturday’s by-election for Ebonyi South was marred by low turnout of voters as only a few turned out to cast their votes.
There was apathy in all areas visited.
The Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) Miss Adeyeye Adoluwa, said voting started at 8.30 a.m., but regretted that the exercise was marred by apathy.
“The polling booth has 1266 registered voters but as at the moment, only about 100 persons have voted.
“We are expecting that more voters will come out to vote before the end of the ballot by 2 pm,” Adoluwa said.
At the Obiozara New Market polling station Uburu with a total number of over 900 voters, a total of 66 voters were accredited to vote.
Mr Oluwafemi Fadaro, the presiding officer regretted that voters were not coming out to cast their votes stressing that only 62 out of 992 registered voters had cast their votes.
“We arrived with the election material around 9 am and accreditation of voters commenced immediately.
“The turnout of voters is too low and only about 62 voters have so far voted; we waiting as you can see, but no voter is coming up to vote, I think that the people are not interested in voting in the by-election,” he said.
In Kebbi, it’s mostly women affair
The were more wome voters than men in the ongoing House of Representatives re-run in Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski federal constituency on Saturday in KKebbi State
The voters generally expressed satisfaction with the turn out and early commencement of the exercise.
The Presiding Officer at Polling Unit 005, Keri Primary School, Shanga, Yakubu Faruq, said they received election materials early and election started at about 8:15a.m.
Faruq recalled that initially they had little hitches with agents of some political parties but it was later resolved, adding that the election was going on peacefully.
Similarly, the Presiding Officers at Garkan Sarki, Yauri town, PU 007 and Yelwa NYSC Zonal Office, Yauri, PU 009, Onakarrho Oghenekaro-Thomson and AbdulMalik Bala said materials arrived early and voting started at 8:45 and 8:30.
They officers said there were challenges so far as all was going on smoothly.
