Low turn out of voters was recorded in Anambra State House of Assembly Election in Onitsha North and South, Anambra East and Umueze-Anam, in Anambra West Local Government Area.
It was gathered from the electoral officer in charge of Onitsha South, Mr. Akuma Egwuonwu, that electoral materials left local government offices as early as half past seven in the morning to various polling units.
When ABS visited some polling units at Onitsha South, including polling units at Saint Monica’s Anglican Church, Woliwo and Bata Square One around nine o’clock in the morning, a handful of voters, who came out have already voted after been accredited.
The story was same at Adisa Ward, situated at Honourable Jude Mbaegwu and Justice Agbakoba Drive, Onitsha North, where the turnout was also poor.
However, at Odoakpu Ward Two, inside Community Primary School, a reasonable number of voters came out to exercise their franchise.
Speaking on the development, the Director, Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, Onitsha Archdiocese, Reverend Father Edwin Udoye, and an electorate, Mr. Nonso Nwadiogbu, attributed the voter apathy to the outcome of the presidential election, which according to them, did not reflect their expectations.
They said the voting started on time in the State Assembly Election unlike the late arrival of materials in the presidential and national assembly elections.
Voter apathy was also observed at Saint Augustine’s Catholic Church, Umuoba- Anam which has more than twenty polling units.
As at eleven o’clock in the morning, at polling unit 003, not more than one hundred people have excised their franchise in a polling unit that has voting strength of six hundred and eighteen.
The story was not different at Unity Primary School Two, Umuoba-Anam Ward Two which the transition Committee Chairman, Anambra East Council Area, Mr. Anselm Onuorah, pronounced peaceful and calm.
Speaking at Umueze-Anam, where low turnout also marred the exercise, Honnourable Patrick Obalum-Udoba, representing Anambra West Constituency said the election was peaceful and attributed the low turnout of voters to the heavy downpour witnessed in the area on Friday which according him, made most of them to go to farm and market.
For Chief Joseph Onuorah, who spoke at Umuanike Village Square, Umueze Anam, Ward One and Barrister Peter Madubueze, who spoke at Okpagu Square, polling unit 007 the election went smoothly.
Some youths at Modebe Street Onitsha, barricaded the road and converted it to football field while some commercial motorcyclists and petty traders went about their normal business at three-three axis, Nkwelle Ezunaka.
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