• Lagos, Rivers, Ebonyi, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Osun, Taraba, C\River, Ogun, Bayelsa terribly hit
By By Our Reporters
The rescheduled governorship and house of assembly elections, yesterday held across the country amid voter apathy and increased violence when compared with the presidential and National Assembly polls held on February 25.
Sunday Sun also observed the problem of logistics challenges by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as election materials reached many polling units behind time.
Unlike the last presidential and National Assembly polls where voters turned out en masse and waited for the INEC officials to arrive, the officials yesterday set up their facilities and waited for the voters to come out.
Also, opposed to the February 25 polls where anxious eligible voters queued at the various polling units for accreditation and voting, the governorship and state assembly election did not have a queue of anxious voters.
Sunday Sun which was on ground in all the 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, observed that despite the massive deployment of security agencies in many strategic locations, there were widespread violence in many states of the federation.
The conspicuous presence of officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was also noticed in some of the polling units visited across the nation.
Our reporters’ findings showed that apart from the low turnout, many of the voters interviewed exhibited low morale even as they were unsure if their votes would actually count.
Sunday Sun observed that whereas some polling units were almost set for accreditation of voters at 8:00 a.m, the INEC officials were yet to be sighted even as late as 10:00a.m and later in many others.
Lagos
In the Centre of Excellence, it was a mixed bag of events as voting was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere amid several incidents of voter suppression and intimidation in other places.
Sunday Sun observed that despite the presence of the Nigeria Police at Kehinde Ashafa/Ewedogbon polling unit, Lagos, there was pandemonium as thugs openly displayed guns to scare eligible voters.
Voters who came out to exercise their franchise scampered for safety for fear of being attacked, but the situation was later brought under control as voters joined the queue for accreditation.
Our reporters observed that despite the assurances by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, that voters would be protected, political thugs had a field day, preventing people, especially non-indegenes from voting.
At Oworo and Gbagada axis, political thugs were seen harassing non-indigenes, especially from the Igbo extraction.
A victim, Okolie Nwadike, told Sunday Sun that he came in company of his wife and other family members to cast their votes, but was intimidated to do so, hence, he had to go home without voting.
Also at Okota, hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons took over the streets, harassing non-indegenes. At Jemtok polling unit, Ago-Palace Road, despite the fact that electoral officers were on ground, voters turnout was low as some thugs were seen instilling fear at the vicinity, saying that Lagos belongs to some people.
The hoodlums were telling the people: “We were good boys in last election, but we won’t be good this time. Lagos belongs to us and not Ndigbo”
They also warned Sunday Sun reporters not to take photographs of activities around the polling unit, but only election materials.
At the same Okota, Esuoala -Enoma Junction, Akpino Street, Moshobolade Street and Behind Okota Police Station, Sunday Sun which interviewed some voters who declined to be mentioned said they were told that Ndigbo were not allowed to vote.
Also, a Police woman attached to Polling Unit 029, on Imam Thani, opposite St Brigid Catholic Church, Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos was wounded as armed thugs snatched the polling boxes while voting was in progress.
An eyewitness account said that the thugs came to the area on a tricycle which they stopped way off. Two of them who were seen with guns proceeded to snatch the ballot boxes. The policewoman, Sunday Sun gathered attempted to stop them initially, but was hit and wounded with a chair. She surrendered as the thugs made away with the polling boxes. Police reinforcement was said to have arrived at the scene to rescue her shortly after the hoodlums had bolted.
At Kehinde/Ewedongbon area, voting ended abruptly at about 11:00 a.m as the INEC officials suddenly left with the voting materials without any explanation.
The situation was the same at unit 118, 1, Abuna Street, Ejigbo where voters were harassed and intimidated from voting. They were told to vote for a particular political party or go home.
Also, thugs suspected to be members of the APC, numbering over 50, armed with bottles, machetes, clubs, sticks and canes disrupted voting at over 12 polling units on Kemberi Road, Okokomaiko and Aka Road, Ajangbadi, Ojo local government.
They chased away voters and forced electoral officials to close for the day.
At PU 007, Temidire- Ajangbadi, the thugs arranged three motorcycles to convey the INEC officials to Ojo Council headquarters, where they were instructed to do the counting.
They refused any of the party polling agents to follow the electoral officers. In Ikorodu, the voter turnout was quite low.
Although, INEC officials were on ground as at 8:30a.m for accreditation of voters, only few people came out at the time Sunday Sun arrived the scene.
By 8:45a.m, most of the polling centres visited such as: booths 030, 007 at UAMC (Eleja Primary school, Igbogbo), 009 (Yewa River road), 020 (Demeke St, New polling unit), 05 (Adeboruwa bus stop), 06, 026, (Adeboruwa St, opposite, Eleja Primary school), 001 (community grammar school, Baiyeku), 002 LG Primary school, Baiyeku), 009 (B-W 18-20 Meri Rd, Igbogbo) 003 (Junction of Oluwo Amoju St/Agbele Rd igbogbo etc were already doing accreditation, but voters were scanty.
At 12 noon, most polling centres had less than 50 voters.
Most of the voters who spoke to Sunday Sun alleged intimidation by members of the ruling party and their thugs.
In most of the voting centres, non-indigenes, particularly the Igbo were warned to stay away, a voter, who pleaded not to be mentioned, said.
There was presence of EFCC in some voting centres as they were seen parading the Igbogbo and Baiyeku areas.
Movement restriction was not strict compared to compliance during the presidential and national assembly polls.
In the 20 polling units visited in the Alagbado area of Lagos State (from Casso to Alakuko) by Sunday Sun, polling officers, party agents and members of public interviewed expressed surprise over the low turnout of voters compared to the presidential election held on February 25.
Opinions were, however, divided over the reason for the poor turnout.
Some people blamed the situation on the Naira crunch created by the failure of the Central Bank of Nigeria and the commercial banks to make cash available to the people while many believe that prospective voters remained at home stranded and disenchanted to come out to cast their votes.
Others blamed the INEC for creating new polling units out of the existing ones and disenfranchising some voters as they couldn’t locate their new voting unit(s).
Also, they said that many voters shunned yesterday’s polls because they had lost faith in INEC and the entire electoral process, alleging that the presidential election was rigged.
Taraba
The election in the state was not significantly different here as the turnout was low amid pockets of violence in some polling units.
Accreditation and voting were suspended in Akete ward of Donga Local Government Area of Taraba following attacks and destruction of election materials by hoodlums.
Donga is the home of the APC governorship candidate, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha.
James Chimin, a resident who spoke to our correspondent said that the heavily armed hoodlums stormed the ward headquarters as early as 6:30a.m just when the INEC officials were about to move the election materials to various polling units and started shooting sporadically as officials and voters scampered for their dear lives.
Akete Ward has 29 polling units and is considered one of the strongholds of Senator Bwacha.
Meanwhile, there was apparent voter apathy in parts of the state monitored by our correspondent.
Some of the voters who spoke to our correspondent, but declined to be mentioned in Wukari said that there were concerns about security of voters and a general lack of confidence in the electoral process.
Oyo
In many parts of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the voting exercise began on time based on early arrival of election materials and ad hoc staff of the INEC to various polling stations and units.
As early as 7:30a.m, ad hoc staff of INEC were seen moving to various the voting centres. In all the places visited, such as Akobo, Bashorun, Idi-Ape, Agodi, Mokola, Iyaganku, Oke-Ado, Molete, Idi-Arere, Mapo, Beere, Labiran, Oja-gbo, Orita-Aperin, Olorunsogo, Olunloyo, Akaran and so on, there were no complaints on the workings of BVAS machines.
But Sunday Sun observed that there was voter apathy in some places in Ibadan metropolis, including Oke-Ado High School. There was, however, a large turnout of voters in many polling units in Ibadan Less City, including Ward Eight, Units six, seven and eight at I.D.C Primary School, Olunloyo in Ona Ara Local Government.
At the polling station, where the governorship candidate of the APC, Senator Teslim Folarin, voted at Ward Five, St John Primary School, Odi-Aperin, Idi-Ose, Akanran Road, Ona Ara Local Government, there was a large turnout of voters too.
Our reporter observed that the security arrangement in every part of the state capital was tighter than that of the presidential and National Assembly elections held three weeks ago.
Bayelsa
Apart from very low turnout in Bayelsa, there were also incidents of violence. For instance, suspected thugs carted away electoral materials meant for Ogbia Wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 in Ogbia Constituency 2, Ogbia Local Government Area.
Governor Douye Diri condemned the incident and urged the Inspector General of Police and the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to swing into action.
Benue
Voting commenced early in most polling units in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with the streets deserted as many voters were trapped at the various bus stops waiting either for motorcycles or other means to get to their voting points.
At the Immigration/Cemetery 012 polling unit, Wurukum Makurdi, voters were seen on queue as they were being attended to by the polling officers.
An election officer who didn’t give his name said that voting began at 8:00a.m as soon as they collected their materials.
Meanwhile, our correspondent observed that only a few people were at the other polling units.
Kaduna
Unlike the presidential and National Assembly elections where voting materials arrived late in most areas, Sunday Sun observed that the governorship and State House of Assembly elections enjoyed early casting of votes.
However, there was low turnout of voters in several polling units across the state capital as at the time of filing this report.
When our Correspondent visited a polling unit at LGEA primary school, Narayi, Chikun local government area, few voters were seen on the queue to cast their votes.
A voter, Madam Rachael Nuhu, said: “I don’t know why people are not many here, may be they will come out later, I cannot actually say. But I want to believe that many people are discouraged to vote again because of the presidential election results that INEC is being accused of taking side”.
Also, an elderly man, John Fwah, on a queue at a primary school in Gonin Gora area of Kaduna city, expressed happiness that the voting materials arrived early, but he was quick to add that, “I don’t know why there is low turnout, but I still believe that before the end of the voting exercise, more people will turn out. As I speak with you, some people have voted and left the place for their houses”.
Enugu
In the Coal City state, voter apathy, vote buying, thuggery and intimidation of voters marred the elections.
On the spot monitoring of some areas of the state and reports gathered from others confirmed that there was general voter apathy which many attributed to the loss of faith occasioned by the disappointment the INEC handed to Nigerians in the Presidential and National Assembly election on February 25.
The situation was worsened in Enugu by the unleashing of thugs on the voters by members of a particular party, which at various places had a field day harassing, intimidating and in some cases physically assaulting voters who managed to come out.
Narrating some of the ugly experiences, a male electorate who went to Chinatown Polling Centre, which has about six polling units to vote but could not said: “I voted there last month and the crowd was much; the whole large field and compound was filled with people and it was peaceful. But when I got here today it was like a ghost land, I went to my polling unit down the hall, but what I witnessed made me turn back for my safety.
“A middle aged woman just finished thumb printing her ballot paper and was about dropping them inside the ballot boxes when a young man walked to her and asked to show him who she voted for and the woman told him there was no need for that and as she wanted to cast her vote, immediately the man whom I later gathered is one of the thugs stationed there, forcefully collected the ballot papers, looked at them and tore them in front of a police woman and as the woman made her way to go with turn pieces, they rushed at her that she must drop them.”
Earlier in the day in Nsukka, soldiers on electoral duties were said to have arrested 140 thugs allegedly deployed for the election at the Old Carollina Hotel and another three at the INEC office in the university town.
They were said to be armed with weapons, including AK47 rifles just as they allegedly confessed to have been deployed by a top politician from Nsukka.
The governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Frank Nweke Jr., also alleged violence and voter intimidation by the PDP in many parts of state, noting that the APGA House of Assembly candidate for Udenu, Chijioke Ezeugwu was attacked and almost killed on Saturday morning in his house, while the five polling units closest to him were cordoned off by men wearing security outfits.
He alleged that thugs hired by the ruling party were restricting voters from exercising their civic duties in some polling units, while other polling units reported ongoing vote buying.
The Anglican Bishop of Eha-Amufu in Isi-Uzo Local government, Rt. Rev. Daniel Olinya raised the alarm over the presence of suspected fake police officers in the area.
Speaking to newsmen, monitoring the election in Eha-Amufu, Bishop Olinya said a particular party is suppressing and intimidating voters and the situation made him to run from his polling booth for fear of his life.
He said: “A particular party is suppressing voters there at Umuokpara, Umuhu, Eha-amufu. The place is very rowdy and the policemen there could not identify themselves. No identification cards. All they show you is caps. Most of them were putting on slippers; they were not putting on uniform. There is need to reach the authorities because the situation is not safe for voting.”
Bauchi
There was anxiety in some parts of the state over the hovering of a helicopter in some communities in Alkaleri, the local government of the incumbent governor, Bala Mohammed on the election day.
Our reporter observed a military helicopter flying at low level across some polling units in the area.
The development led to mild panic among residents who were unsure of the mission. While some voters and party agents condemned it, saying there was no need, others said they had no problem with it as long as it did not disrupt their voting.
The Chairman of the local government, Bala Mahmud said it was uncalled for, describing it as a form of intimidation from one of the political parties with instrument of power at his disposal.
But a major stakeholder from the area, Alhaji Muktar Gidado, who holds the traditional title, Jarman Alkaleri, believes the helicopter was a security routine to ensure a peaceful election.
He said that it had not disrupted voting at the Haruna Memorial Primary School Polling Unit 029 where he served as an observer.
Anambra
The election in Anambra State was characterised by violence and low turnout of voters across the state.
From Awka to Onitsha, Nnewi to Nkpor, Ekwulobia, Ogidi and Obosi, the story was the same: scanty people coming out to vote while INEC officials waited for the closing time to count the votes and dismantle their materials.
This was a clear departure and a direct opposite of what happened during the presidential and National Assembly elections when many came out, but could not vote as their numbers overwhelmed the INEC officials who reported late at most polling units.
The exercise also witnessed open cases of vote buying with some party agents wooing prospective voters with cash or collection of their account numbers for money transfers.
Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo voted at his Polling Unit 002 Ovuiyi, Umueze, Isuofia, Aguata LGA at about 11:30 a.m.
The police arrested five armed thugs in Ihiala Local Government of the state during the exercise. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement, said that the thugs stormed the area to disrupt elections, but were arrested by police operatives.
He said that four pump action rifles were recovered from them.
Also, thugs operating with motorcycles in their numbers invaded some polling units in Awada, Obosi and some parts of Ilo Okoye in Odume, Idemili North LGA, robbing voters of their valuables and disrupting the voting exercise.
The boys suspected to be Obosi youths who specialised in land speculation invaded Awada Primary School as voters expressed anger when the INEC said that some of their sensitive materials were missing.
The boys had a free day as they descended on the voters with daggers and cudgels, snatching phones and cash from the bewildered voters.
The Sun reporter who just arrived at the premises on the occasion was caught up in the confusion as many ran for safety.
The hoodlums descended on the reporter, ransacking his pocket for cash while others surveyed his car to collect any valuable on sight. They also picked his phone, but his mention of the names of Obosi traditional ruler and his palace Secretary, saved the situation as one of them prevailed on other to back off.
They equally robbed many within the premises and also scattered voting materials in the compound after chasing others away before they zoomed off on eight motorcycles.
At all the polling units, and other visited, there was no presence of security agents.
Also, about 30 suspected political thugs attacked and injured INEC officials in Odoakpu Ward 7 in Onitsha South LGA.
Sunday Sun gathered that the thugs stormed the Metu Memorial Secondary School, Odoakpu Onitsha with four polling units, injuring some INEC officials and destroying ballot boxes and other materials while the voting was still ongoing in the area.
The thugs also attacked polling units at Nnewi street, Margret street and Ozubulu hall at Odoakpu area.
One of the victims and INEC officer, Mrs Amaka Ozoha, who sustained injury, was rushed to the hospital for treatment while other officials were evacuated safely to the collation centre at the Onitsha South LGA.
Ebonyi
The exercise recorded low turnout of voters in the state unlike the February 25, presidential and National Assembly elections.
In most of the polling units visited by our correspondent, not many voters were seen exercising their franchise.
At Amudo Primary School polling unit in Ezza South local government of the state, one of the voters, Paul Onyia, attributed the apathy to difficulties of the voters in accessing their polling units because of restriction of movements.
The situation was the same in Orie Egbe market square polling unit in the local government and the Gunning Road polling unit, besides former Ebontrans office in Abakaliki, the state capital.
However, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Benjamin Umezuruike, who voted in his Onu Ofukuru polling unit, Umunaga ward 2 in Uburu community, Ohaozara local government area of the state, said it was too early to conclude if there was apathy at the poll until voting was concluded across the state.
Meanwhile, there were reports of ballot box snatching in some areas in the state.
In Umuezeokaha, Ezza North local government area of the state, thugs reportedly snatched ballot boxes unchallenged.
In Omege and Ekka communities also in Ezza North local government area, the same ballot box snatching was recorded.
It was also gathered that the election in Ebonyi State turned violent, leading to the killing of the Ezza North Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nweke Peter.
Another person was also reportedly shot dead at Onicha, in Onicha Local Government Area of the state. Three INEC officials were also shot and were allegedly moved to a hospital in Abakaliki where they are receiving treatment.
Details were still sketchy as at press time, but sources said the gunmen stormed the polling station forcing people to run for safety. The body of the party Chairman was later found where it was dumped.
Borno
The elections in Borno recorded low turnout of voters.
At Alhaji Kolomi Maikamti 3, Sir Kashim polling unit in Maiduguri, less than a quarter of the registered voters turned up to cast their ballots.
Sunday Sun also observed that less women and young people came out to vote despite the earlier arrival of election officials and materials.
Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji told our correspondent that the commission did a critical review of the Feb 25 presidential poll.
“We retrained our staff, including the ad hoc staff. We reviewed our performance in the last exercise and that’s why we are having progress in the conduct now”, he said.
Osun
There was a low turnout of voters in the poll, which was characterised by violence.
Hoodlums shot voters and snatched ballot boxes at Ojatuntun Ile-Ife, Alekuwodo Osogbo, and Ila-Orangun.
The Ambassador to Mexico, Adejare Bello, Senator representing Osun East, Francis Fadahunsi, SSA to President Muhammadu Buhari on the National Assembly matter, Babajide Omoworare and the state Deputy Governor, Kola Adewusi, decried the low turn out in the election.
The former state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Bisi, accused the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, of terrorizing voters to ensure that he returns to the House.
But, the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Remi Omowaye, described the allegation as false, saying that “PDP has been disrupting election in Ilesa here before the election.”
Sunday Sun observed that policemen were not present in some of the polling units visited by our correspondent.
Abia
There was also low turnout in the state.
This is even as police in Umuahia arrested an INEC ad hoc staff for allegedly attempting to smuggle one of the BVAS machines into one of the offices of Umuahia South Local Government, Ubakala at the request of a chieftain of one of the political parties.
Investigations also revealed that many people did not turn out for the election owing to the outcome of the presidential poll in which their preferred candidate was not declared winner of the election by INEC.
Most voters stayed at home because they believed their votes did not count in the presidential election and the same would happen this time around.
As at 7:30a.m, INEC staff had arrived Umuhu Ezechi in Bende Local Government Area and many other polling units in the state, voting started at 9:00a.m.
But in one of the polling units in Umuahia with about 700 registered voters, as at about 1:00p.m, only 59 persons had been accredited.
Voters at Ama Mbara Nkata Ibeku, Umuahia protested the shortage of voting materials and vowed not to commence voting until INEC supplies them the complete materials.
Rivers
The election in the oil-rich state witnessed some skirmishes, even as voter’s apathy was recorded across the state.
Election did not hold in the entire Asari-Toru local government area of the state, leading to demonstration.
Protests rocked the INEC RAC in Buguma, Asari-Toru LGA over the absence of INEC Unit Collation Officers and Returning Officers.
The electorate were chanting, “We no go gree!” We no go vote!” even after INEC officials arrived few minutes to 1:00p.m.
Sunday Sun gathered that at Ward 5, St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Port Harcourt township, agents of the ruling party allegedly removed votes cast for the APC, Social Democratic Party(SDP) and Labour Party and burnt them publicly and went away with the ballot box containing some votes cast.
Voters across Alode Ward 2, Eleme local government, Rivers State, defied threats by suspected thugs of one of the prominent political parties to cast their votes.
They also defied an earlier announcement by town-criers last night, from the paramount ruler, asking those who wouldn’t vote PDP to stay at home.
In Ebubu Ward 4, Eleme LGA, suspected armed thugs hijacked election materials in Units 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15.
Armed local vigilance group known as OSPAC, a non-state actor, reportedly carted away all election materials, including BVAS machines in Elele Wards 3 and 4, Ikwerre local government area of the State.
In Soku, a coastal community, massive vote-buying by a popular political party was witnessed. Voters were said to have been paid between N5,000 and N15,000 depending on the voter’s bargaining power.
Officials of the INEC and security personnel were unable to stop the development.
Earlier in the day, there was heavy shooting by suspected party gangs around Abonnema Ward 6, Units 7 and 8.
It was gathered that all electoral materials were reportedly carted away and people ran to safety.
Sources said that there was no more electoral activity in front of Bestman Memorial Hall, Abonnema, adjacent Sombriero Naval Post.
Similarly, suspected party thugs beat up other parties’ agents in PHALGA Ward 3, Units 1, 2, 3, 4, 32, 33, 36,37,38, in Ogbum-nu-Abali Town Market.
In Etche, Ward 14, Unit 7, a former LGA chairman used thugs to stop others from voting except those willing to vote APC.
Fight erupted between APC and PDP agents in Unit 22 Boms Hall, Elekahia, PHALGA Ward 19, over vote-buying.
According to a party agent, turnout was too low that any voter who turned out became an object of merchandise among the two parties.
Also, voters in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, staged a protest when they discovered that both the memory and Sim cards meant for the BVAS machines were removed. Also removed were the machines’ power banks.
Delta
Voter apathy, general low turnout and early arrival of electoral materials day characterised the election in Delta.
Though largely peaceful, the exercise recorded pockets of violence in some areas.
In Evwreni community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, political thugs disrupted the exercise as they destroyed election materials, including BVAS machines during an invasion.
Some persons suspected to be political thugs invaded Evwreni town in Ughelli North Local Government to disrupt the exercise.
Security operatives deployed to the community were said to have done nothing to repel the rampaging thugs suspected to be loyal to a state official in the area.
The violence came on the heels of the alleged razing of the home of the former chairman of Ethiope West Local Government Area in the state, Dr Wilson Omene.
The house of Dr Omene, a chieftain of the APC, in Mosogar, was reportedly razed during the early hours of Saturday.