Imo bye-election witnesses low voter turnout

Many voters stayed away from the polling units during the Ngor Okpala Constituency, Imo by-election on Saturday.

Eleven candidates are contesting in the by-election for the House of Assembly seat declared vacant following the long absence of the former occupant.

Correspondents of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored the exercise report that sensitive and non-sensitive election materials arrived at the polling units as early as 8:30 am

Some of the areas visited were Logara/Umuohiagu, Ndiuhu Umuokoada Logara, Umuorisha Umuohiagu, Umuchoko Junction, Umuohiagu, and Community Primary School, Upe.

NAN reports that accreditation and voting started at 9:25 am at Central School Umuoye 2 in Imerienwe, but witnessed a low turnout of voters.

There was a noticeable presence of security operatives at the voting points and checkpoints on major roads in the areas including at Upe Autonomous Community.

The Presiding Officer at Ward 5, Central School Umuoye 2, polling unit 003, Qassim Usman, told NAN that accreditation and voting started at 8:30 am without hitches.

Esther Ewuru, the presiding officer at Polling Unit 007, Ward 5, said about 25 voters had been accredited as at 10 am.

Appraising the process, a community leader and observer, Athan Agbakwuru, commended INEC for starting the exercise early.

Agbakwuru expressed confidence that the process would be hitch-free.

NAN also observed that commercial activities were going on unhindered in many areas, despite the Imo by-election activities.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo, Prof. Chukwuemeka Ezeonu, had said 94,060 registered voters, the figure as at 2019, were expected to cast votes in the bye-election.