Ebonyi Bye-Election Witnesses Voter Apathy

The Ebonyi South Senatorial election, held across five local government areas of the zone, experienced a low turnout, with few voters observed at most of the polling booths visited by LEADERSHIP.

As of 1:25 pm when LEADERSHIP visited the Umuobasi Hall 1, Obiozara Ward 1, in Ohaozara LGA, out of 422 registered voters, only 60 had cast their votes in the polling unit.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP, the presiding officer, Mr. Okorie Ekwe, mentioned that materials and the ad-hoc staff of INEC arrived at the polling unit at exactly 7:30 am and commenced accreditation at about 8 am, adding that the election has been free, fair, and credible.

At the Ishieke Village Square, Obiozara, and the main market polling unit, the scenario was similar, with only a few voters seen exercising their franchise.

In the Amaenu Town Hall Polling unit in Ugwulangwu, the Chairman of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Mr. Chinedum Enekwachi, alleged vote-buying, intimidation of voters, ballot box snatching, and other irregularities at the polling unit.

Mr. Enekwachi stated that the heavy presence of armed military personnel made people, especially elderly men and women, reluctant to come out to vote to avoid intimidation and harassment.

At the polling unit 005, Ohaizu Ward A and Ukpa/Amachara Primary School in Ohaizu 001 in Afikpo Local Government Area of the State, there was also a low turnout of voters.

When LEADERSHIP visited Akpoha, Unwana, Ozzizza, and Ebii, all in Afikpo local government, there was a reasonable presence of voters at the polling booths visited.

A resident of the area, Mr. Sunny Nkama, who spoke to LEADERSHIP, noted that materials arrived early, adding that the election was also violence-free.

Meanwhile, soldiers restricted several journalists on election duty from moving around to monitor the Ebonyi bye-election in the Ebonyi South Senatorial zone.

On two occasions, a military convoy stopped journalists and refused them passage for more than 40 minutes each time.

As a result, the journalists, who left early from Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital, could not cover the Minister of Works, David Umahi, while casting his vote at his Umunaga polling unit in Ohaozara local government area.

The incidents occurred along the Uburu-Abaomege highway in Uburu, Ohaozara LGA.