Imo Guber: Voter Apathy, Absence Of Election Materials Threaten Poll

The Saturday’s governorship election in Imo took off in some parts of the state on a shaky note with low voter turnout and absence of election officials and materials at some polling units (PUs) visited.

According to Vanguard, in some PUs, some voters were seen, along with security personnel, waiting for INEC officials and materials at at 8:30am.

At PU 001 Ekeama Primary School, Awaka I, near Owerri, some voters and security personnel were present, while electoral official and materials were being awaited.

A voter, Mrs Hilda Nnadi, said that she was confident that the materials would soon be brought to the unit.

“I believe materials will soon arrive and we’ll vote. I’ll be patient,” Nnadi said.

The same situation also prevailed at PU 002 Ekeama Primary School, Awaka II, and PU 003 Community Primary School, Amapu Awaka.

A voter, Mr Fidelis Nwokedi, also expressed confidence in the process.

“It’s an off cycle election and I believe that INEC has all it takes to make it successful.

“I’m hopeful that they will soon be here,“ he said.

The situation at PU 004 Community Primary School, Amapu Awaka II, and PU 016 Emeohe Village Hall, was largely different with low voter turnout, absence of security personnel, INEC officials and materials.

A visibly diaappointed voter, Miss Amaka Okpara, said: “Only very few of us are here and there is no security, not even one police officer.

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“I will soon leave go back to my house, if they don’t come.”

A similar situation was recorded PU 007 Community Primary School, Ihita-Ogada II, PU 008 Ihita-Ogada Village Square and PU 011 Health Centre, Ubah Emii I, where some voters and security personnel were seen waiting for INEC officials and materials.

The same situation was also observed at PU 013 Eziala Village Square, where the voters, who came out in their numbers, were also seen with security personnel waiting for INEC Officials and materials.

At P 012, Central School, Amaimo, in Ikeduru LGA, which is the PDP candidate, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu’s Polling Unit, INEC officials and materials had yet to arrive as at 8:45a.m.

There was also no security personnel at the PU but voters were seen around waiting to exercise their franchise.

A voter, Mr Ibe Chika, said he arrived at the polling unit as early as 8:00a.m. but was disappointed that no INEC official had arrived.

(Vanguard )