One feared killed as poor voter turnout mars FCT council election

OBIORA IFOH, Abuja 

 

A middle-aged woman has been feared killed after she was knocked down by a supporter of one of the major political parties who was riding a motorcycle.

 

The incident happened at about 10:12am in PU048, Salasi opposite Post Office, in Karu, Abuja Municipal Area Council when the woman, a voter, was attempting to cross the road to her polling unit.

 

The motorcycle rider who carried the flag of one of the political parties rode in a frenzy as if he was under the influence.

 

Voters in the area immediately apprehended the motorcyclist and handed him over to security operatives deployed for the election.

 

The Federal Capital Territory FCT Command of the Nigerian Police Force had on the eve of the election announced restriction of November but hours later released another statement relaxing the restrictions and urging all residents to go about their normal duties.

 

Yet, hours later, at about midnight, the Command again issued a notice of restriction, saying it was in receipt of credible intelligence to the effect that some miscreants were trying to cash in on the relaxed atmosphere to foment violence.

 

Meanwhile, despite restriction of movement enforced by the Federal Capital authority, the local council elections witnessed low turnout of electorates at the various polling units.

 

Champion correspondent who monitored the exercise in some voting centres in Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC, reported that electoral officers arrived late to their voting stations, attributing the delay to logistical challenges emanating from the distribution centre.

 

It was gathered that electoral officers arrived lately at about 9:20 am at Polling Unit  no. 056 Aco estate GUI ward 07 in AMAC  area of Abuja.

 

It took the electoral officers additional 40 minutes to set up before accreditation and voting eventually commenced at 10:15am.

 

Various teams of electoral observers as well as security operatives who mounted at strategic positions to forestall any disturbance were present.

 

At the end of polling which ended at about 3pm, only 13 out of a total of 580 registered voters turn up at the polling centre and were duly accredited.

 

The results showed that for chairmanship election, AAC scored 1 vote, APC got 8 votes, LP 1 vote while  PDP polled 3 votes.

 

In the councillorship poll, APC got 7 votes to lead other parties as APGA polled  1 vote with PDP scoring 4 votes while YPP got 1 vote.

 

The presiding officer, Mr Abdulazeez Nurudeen, who was assisted by Mr Alanana Emmanuel, attributed the low turnout to poor sensitization and mobilization of electorates by the political parties.

 

At polling unit 100 at Kabusa ward 3 still under AMAC, electoral officers arrived at 11:45am blaming inability to locate their place of assignment on time.

 

According to the Presiding officer, Miss Sunday Sunday Evong, who attested to the efficiency of the BVAS machine, only three of the total 59 registered voters turned out for accreditation and voting out of which APGA scored 2 votes while APC got 1 vote for both chairmanship and counselorship elections.

 

There was however a point of argument as the APC agent insisted on not accepting the result because of shortage of 14 pieces out of the counselorship ballots. The tension that was building was however promptly doused by the officials and other party agents around.

 

At  polling unit 099 in kabusa ward presided by Miss Nnamani Rita, only one out of a total  233 registered voters voted.

 

In other areas, councillorship Result at Pigba in Apo Extension showed that APC got 16 votes, PDP: 149, while ADP  scored 1.

 

 

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