Ebonyi Council Elections Suffer Boycott, Voter Apathy

GOV. MARTIN ELECHI OF EBONYI (M), AFTER VOTING AT ECHIALIKE WARD 1, IKWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EBONYI ON  SATURDAY
GOV. MARTIN ELECHI OF EBONYI (M), AFTER VOTING AT ECHIALIKE WARD 1, IKWO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EBONYI ON SATURDAY

Saturday’s local government election in Ebonyi suffered a boycott by opposition parties as only the ruling PDP presented candidates for the exercise.

The other political parties declined to field candidates for the elections, saying there was no level playing ground.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the situation left only the PDP to contest for the 13 chairmanship positions and 215 councillorship seats.

The election was the fourth to be conducted since 2001 in the state.

NAN also observed that materials for the election were distributed as early as 8 a.m. in all the local government headquarters.

The Commissioner for Education, Mr Chibueze Ndubuisi-Agbo, described the exercise as orderly and calm.

The PDP chairmanship candidate in the local government, Mrs Chinyere Elom, said the distribution of the materials had been peaceful and smooth.

The presiding officer for Effium Ward II, Peter Idika, decried the low-turnout of voters for the election.

“We received the materials for the election on time yet the people are nowhere to be seen. They just trickle in and leisurely. This attitude does not portend enthusiasm on the part of the electorate,’’ he said.

At the Abakaliki Local Government Area, the situation was the same as voter apathy characterised the exercise.

Mr James Omeri, the electoral officer for the area, told NAN that the distribution of materials started early.

At Alike Square, the presiding officer, Gloria Morgan, said accreditation of voters had not started as at 10 a.m. because they had not started showing up.

At 11 a.m., no single voter had visited the polling units in Izzi Local Government Area just as there was no security presence.

Also at Igbeagu Ward I, the presiding officer, Lawrence Mbeke, told NAN that only one potential voter had been accredited by 11:15 a.m. while there was only a few voters at the TTC polling unit.

Mr Andrew Nkwuda, a former vice chairman of the local government, said he appreciated the smooth arrangement of the electoral process.

When NAN visited Ebonyi local government, the situation was different as voters turned out in large numbers to cast their votes. (NAN)