LOW VOTER TURNOUT MAR ASSEMBLY ELECTION IN IMO

REPORTERS: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU & UCHE OBI

Election for the twenty seven seats in the Imo State House of Assembly was largely peaceful.

Voting commenced around 8.30am in most of the polling units visited in Emekuku Owerri North, Ikeduru and Mbaitoli Local Government Areas due to timely arrival of personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and materials at polling units.

There is however low turn out of voters in many polling units across the state as INEC personnel had few voters to attend to.

At Ezelukwu Primary School, Nkwoemeke Emekuku booth 006 and 007, only a handful of voters were seen waiting to cast their their ballot.

Indigenes of the area, Mr. Ikechukwu Obichere and Mr Chidubem Osuji, commended INEC for early commencement of voting but bemoaned voter apathy, which they attributed to seeming loss of confidence in the electoral umpire.

The election was relatively peaceful except at Isiekenesie -Dikenafai Road, where hoodlums allegedly hijacked a vehicle conveying personnel and materials for Ugbelie Ward 06 in Ideato South LGA but report from INEC indicated that security operatives later rescued them.

Similarly, suspected thugs reportedly invaded booth 007 Umuchem Hall in Obodo Amaimo in Ikeduru Local Government Area and disrupted election in the place.

In a related development, the House of Assembly election in Awaka, Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State witnessed a low turnout of voters.

The election started on schedule just as the presidential election, as INEC officials arrived in the 10 polling units in the area before 8am.

The atmosphere was also very peaceful.

However, at polling unit 001 and 002, some party agents were seen buying votes for their party.

Speaking on exercise, one of the voters, Mr. Ilechukwu Nze, explained that people were discouraged after what happened at the presidential election.

He said he had appealed to those to come out and vote for candidates of their choice to make the exercise competitive.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU