Voters Apathy Mars Enugu LGA Polls; Exercise a Sham, Says APC

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Saturday, November 4th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Voters apathy and late arrival of electoral materials to polling units on Saturday marred the Enugu state local government election held in the 17 council areas of Enugu state, just as the state chapter of the All progressive Congress APC, has described the exercise as a “sham and charade”.

Our Correspondent who monitored the election in various local governments areas of the state reports that voting materials arrived some local government areas between 2pm to 3pm.

However, there were reported cases of skirmishes in some council areas such as Oji River, Enugu South and North, Isi Uzo, Aninri, Awgu, Nkanu West, and East, and Ouzo-Uwani among others.

Although , the exercise was peaceful in some parts of Enugu North senatorial district where the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi hails from, the issue of late arrival of voting material also characterised the election in most polling units visited in the area.

Governor Ugwuanyi, who is from Orba community, in Udenu local government area, casted his vote at his Amube ward 2 polling unit 1 and 2 at exactly 11: 39 am.

Following the late arrival of the electoral materials, the State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) extended voting 4 to 5 pm.

A statement signed by Chairman of the Commission, Mr. Mike Ajogwu, (SAN), explained that the extension was to enable willing voters who have not voted the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility.

Addressing newsmen, the Enugu state chairman of APC , Dr. Ben Nwoye, said that the election was characterised by widespread violence in almost all the council areas of the state.

He alleged that reports reaching him had it that two people lost their lives at Oji River local government area, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries in other council areas, including Igboeze South.

According to Nwoye, the APC gubernatorial candidate in 2015 general election, Barrister Okey Ezeah who hails from Igboeze South, was violently attacked and seriously injured by suspected thugs working for the ruling peoples Democratic party PDP in his area, adding that “as I speak to you now, he is currently receiving treatment in the hospital.”

The APC chairman, said “like I predicted yesterday, during a press conference, the ENSIEC chairman Mike Ajogwu, has rubbished him self with this sham he put together in the name of election, just to satisfy his pay masters, the PDP.

“It is quite unfortunate that there was wild spread of violence and blood berth in Enugu today , just simply because ENSIEC wants to please the PDP.

There was no result sheets in all the polling units, yet Dr. Ajogwu called what he did today election, if you remembered, I had severally called for the resignation of the ENSIEC chairman, because of his open biasness against APC.

“Ajogwu, breached all the electoral provisions , including not allowing opposition parties and other stake holders to be present while ENSIEC takes delivering of sensitive electoral materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria , CBN, few days to the election as provided by law.

Nwoye, who appealed to APC supporters to remain calm irrespective of the provocation, said the party do not believe in violence, but would seek redress in court at the appropriate time.