Gov’ship: Observer group laments voter apathy, violence

The Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA) has decried “high level of voter apathy and violence” recorded in yesterday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections across many states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The group’s Acting Executive Director, Faith Nwadishi, stated this in Abuja, yesterday, in an interim report on the conduct of the elections.

According to her, their findings revealed that millions of Nigerians opted not to go out and vote because of their disappointment with the outcome of the last election which was marked with uncertainties.

Tagged ‘Situation Room Interim Report on the Governorship, State Houses of Assembly and FCT Elections on March 9, 2019,’ the group described the election as a clear departure from the presidential and National Assembly elections.

“The election was also marked by high level of voter apathy in comparison with the excitement and enthusiasm voters showed during the presidential election.

“There was low voter turn-out, violence, intervention of the military in some places, and killing of citizens who had come out to exercise their franchise.

“INEC offices in some states were burnt, citizens intimated. In our opinion citizens should not lose their lives for participating in election,” the report said.

The group, however, said logistics arrangements for the elections were better organized, and thus ensured early opening of polls across the country.

It added that reports from field observers across the county indicated early arrival of INEC officials and materials as well as simultaneous accreditation and voting between 8am and 8:30am in many polling units.

The report lauded the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials for adequate deployment and readiness to wait for voters, especially people with special needs such as pregnant women, the elderly, people with disabilities, and nursing mothers.

It also said security agents appeared to have conducted themselves well in many voting units; though, there were disruption of the voting process, harassment of INEC officials and election observers in many others.