Delta Council Poll Causes Heavy Gridlock on Niger Bridge
It was a harrowing experience for travellers heading from South-east and South-south to other parts of the country on Saturday as they were stuck on the Onitsha end of the River Niger Bridge for several hours due to the closure of the bridge for the Delta State local government election.
Most of the stranded travellers were holidaymakers who were returning to their bases in other parts of the country.
THISDAY reporter who monitored the traffic gridlock noted that movement on the bridge was restricted at exactly midnight Friday. And by midday on Saturday, the gridlock had stretched several kilometers.
Anambra State government, which had envisaged the distruptions that the closure of the bridge would cause travellers, had on Friday issued a travel advice to its indigenes returning to their bases to use alternative routes.
The state government in a release by Mr. Tony Nnachetta, Commissioner for Information and Communication Strategy, had warned that, “As a result of local government elections which is scheduled to hold this Saturday, 6th January 2018 in Delta state, the Delta state government has announced that curfew will be in place in the state effective midnight on Friday.
“The curfew will affect movements into and out of Delta State including its borders and connecting roads with Anambra State.
“Ndi Anambra are therefore advised to take note of this development and make adequate travel arrangements to avoid being stranded, as they make plans to return to their various places of residence after the Christmas and New Year celebrations.”
A similar statement by the Federal Road Safety Corps had also notified motorists that, ”Elections will be conducted in 25 local government areas of Delta state on 06/01/18. There will be restrictions on vehicular movement from 6:00hrs to 15:00hrs.”
The FRSC statement also said, “The roads will be closed at the boundaries between Edo and Delta States as well as between Delta and Anambra States respectively from 6:00hrs till 15:00hrs. Motorists from Edo axis are advised to go through Warri- East-West roads – PortharcourtAnambra.
“Similarly, motorists from Anambra are advised to go through Enugu- Ajaokuta – Okene – Akure – Ibadan.”
Human and vehicular traffic traffic started building up as early as 7am, at the Onitsha end of the bridge.as security personnel who manned the bridge refused them access as they insisted that movement had been restricted.