There were low turnout of voters across Niger State during Saturday’s local government elections which also witnessed violence and no-show in some of the polling units.
As at 9 am, voters and electoral officers were yet to be seen at the polling units across the State while in other places, there were voters on ground as early as 8 am but there were no electoral officers.
In Chachanga local government area, there were low turnout of voters as it was observed that several polling units did not record half the number of voters as expected while electoral materials did not arrive at the polling units until around 10.30 am. There were also complaints that the election materials were not complete in some of the polling units.
In Bosso local government area, there were low turnout and late arrival of election materials. In Paikoro, there were no elections in some areas while as at 11 am, materials and officials were just arriving at some polling units.
In Magama local government area, election materials were set on fire by angry residents following reports of missing result sheets in the materials in Nasko as the residents accused officials of attempting to manipulate the election process.
It was learnt that the INEC office was the target but residents around pleaded with the youths that burning of the INEC office would affect their houses.
An official of the Niger state Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC), who pleaded anonymity, claimed that they were able to save some of the sensitive materials though others for several polling units got burnt.
In Shiroro and Munya local government areas, there were no elections in several parts of the local government areas while in those where the election took place experienced low turnout out.
In Mokwa local government area, it was gathered that officials conveying electoral materials to Muregi, Gbara, and other wards were attacked causing a delay in the arrival of ballot boxes and materials to the polling units.
Some of the residents contacted said that the ballot boxes and other sensitive materials were being moved to Bida and attempts to stop them attracted attacks from youths perceived to be thugs.
One of the victims, who was attacked, Usman Sanda said that the 19th polling unit ballot box from Muregi and the 17th from Gbara were unlawfully moved from Mokwa to Bida adding that residents who tried to follow the officials were ambushed by thugs, their tires punctured, and they were brutally beaten.
In Rijau, after they heard of what happened in Magama, the officials refused to bring out the election materials even as the residents say that they are not interested in voting but in security of their lives and properties from bandits.
In Agwara, the PDP chairmanship candidate, David Ezekiel Laiga announced his withdrawal from the election in the early hours of Saturdau saying it was done after due consultation and in the interest of peace, unity, and the overall development of Agwara Local Government Area.
The Niger Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the burning of electoral sensitive materials in Magama and said some people have been arrested.
