There was low voter turnout across Niger State on Saturday during the Local Government elections which also witnessed violence in some of the polling units.
When New Telegraph Correspondent visited some polling units in Bosso, Suleja, Paikoro and Chanchaga Local Government Areas, it was observed that voters and electoral officers arrived the polling units around 10 am while in other places, there were voters on ground as early as 8 am but there no electoral officers.
This was as the Niger Police Public Relations officer (PPRO), SP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the burning of electoral sensitive materials in Magama LGA, saying “some people have been arrested”.
Saturday Telegraph gathered that election materials were set on fire by angry residents following reports of missing result sheets in the materials in Nasko, Magama LGA, after the residents accused officials of attempting to manipulate the election process.
It was reliably gathered that the target was the INEC office but residents around pleaded with the irate youths that burning of the INEC office would affect their houses.
However, 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 even though others got burnt and elections held in some wards.
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.
In Bosso and Paikoro local government areas, there were low turnout and late arrival of election materials and officials.
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.
Findings also have it that in Mokwa local government area, 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.
Residents contacted told our Correspondent that the ballot boxes and other sensitive materials were being moved to Bida and attempts to stop them attracted attacks from angry youths perceived to be thugs.
While speaking to Journalists on phone, one of those 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 and that those who tried to follow the officials were ambushed by thugs, punctured their tires and beaten brutally.
In a twist, the PDP chairmanship candidate in Agwara LGA, David Ezekiel Laiga announced his withdrawal from the election in the early hours of Saturday saying “I withdrew after due consultation and in the interest of peace, unity, and the overall development of our Local Government Area”.
