The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that APC and PDP chieftains in Edo on Saturday alleged that the low turnout of voters for the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections was caused by fear and unruly behavior of some Obi Movement members.
Most polling places in Edo’s Southern District recorded low turnout on Saturday during the elections.
The chieftains told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the low turnout was also caused by alleged band waggon effect, and loss of interest from the outcome of Presidential/NASS elections.
The absence of a governorship election made the exercise tense, according to Mr. Lawrence Okah, the APC state secretary.
Okah said the low turnout was not good for democracy, especially when it involved the grassroots (state lawmakers) governance.
He, however, said the electorate that came out to exercise their franchise were the real politicians.
Agharase Idubor, PDP chieftain at Oluwa Primary School in Egor Local Government Area, said the low turnout was because of disappointment from Presidential/NASS elections.
He said those who came out en-masse in the last elections, felt their votes did not count during the Presidential/NASS elections.
He alleged that the low turnout was a result of purported threat/ fear from some quarters.
Dumezi Ugiagbe (APC), the House of Assembly candidate, Ovia North East constituency , described the electoral process as seamless except for the voters’ apathy.
He, however, said some voters came out in his favour to give him sympathy votes, haven been denied representation of his constituency in the last assembly.
Mr Arhoba Nelson, a PDP leader in Oredo, said voters did not turn out because of threats to live and they also believed that their votes did not count in the previous polls.
He, however, commended INEC for the early dispatch of electoral materials and prompt accreditation and voting.
Many felt that since Peter Obi failed to win the Presidential election, his supporters felt disappointed and that reduced their interest, hence they refused to come out to exercise their franchise.
(NAN)
