Imo guber: Voter turnout lags as INEC officials, materials delay

Saturday’s governorship election in Imo took off in some parts of the state on a shaky note, with low voter turnout and an absence of election officials and materials.

News Agency of Nigeria • November 11, 2023

IMO Voting is about to start at PU013 Oha Owere hall polling unit, Ikenegbu 1, Owerri municipal. INEC officials are getting ready at 9:05 am

Saturday’s governorship election in Imo took off in some parts of the state on a shaky note, with low voter turnout and an absence of election officials and materials at some polling units visited.

The poll reports that in some PUs, some voters were seen, along with security personnel, waiting for INEC officials and materials at 8:30 a.m.

At PU 001 Ekeama Primary School, Awaka I, near Owerri, some voters and security personnel were present while electoral officials and materials had yet to arrive.

A voter, Hilda Nnadi, said she was confident that the materials would soon be brought to the unit.

“I believe materials will soon arrive and we’ll vote. I’ll be patient,” Ms Nnadi said.

The same situation also prevailed at PU 002 Ekeama Primary School, Awaka II, and PU 003 Community Primary School, Amapu Awaka.

A voter, Fidelis Nwokedi, also expressed confidence in the process.

“It’s an off-cycle election and I believe that INEC has all it takes to make it successful. I’m hopeful that they will soon be here,“ he said.

The situation at PU 004 Community Primary School, Amapu Awaka II, and PU 016 Emeohe Village Hall was largely different, with a low turnout of voters and an absence of security personnel, INEC officials and materials.

A visibly disappointed voter, Amaka Okpara, said, “Only very few of us are here, and there is no security, not even one police officer. I will soon leave and go back to my house if they don’t come.”

A similar situation was recorded at PU 007 Community Primary School, Ihita-Ogada II, PU 008 Ihita-Ogada Village Square and PU 011 Health Centre, Ubah Emii I, where some voters and security personnel were seen waiting for INEC officials and materials.

The same situation was also observed at PU 013 Eziala Village Square, where the voters, who came out in their numbers, were also seen with security personnel waiting for INEC Officials and materials.

At PU 012, Central School, Amaimo, in Ikeduru LGA, the PDP candidate, Samuel Anyanwu’s polling unit, INEC officials and materials had yet to arrive as of 8:45 a.m.

There were also no security personnel at the PU, but voters were seen around waiting to exercise their franchise.

A voter, Ibe Chika, said he arrived at the polling unit as early as 8:00 a.m. but was disappointed that no INEC official had arrived.

(NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.