The Akwa Ibom State local government election have been marred by violence, voter apathy and late arrival of electoral materials across the 31 LGAs as voting could not start in various units in the 369 wards on Saturday.
Opposition political parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Young Peoples Party (YPP), the Labour Party (LP), and others, alleged that electoral materials were hijacked by agents of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They alleged that the hijackers had already been detailed to manipulate the exercise to have a pre-determined outcome for the highest bidder.
Angered by the development, for which they accused the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) of compromise and not providing a level-playing field for all contenders, hoodlums consequently stormed the AKISIEC office in Ibiono Ibom LGA, and set the building ablaze.
Besides, some skirmishes were also reported in Ikono, Ini and other LGAs, where eligible voters complained of elections not holding in various units and wards.
In Ward 8 of Etim Ekpo LGA, a former LGA chairman was said to have dismissed anxious voters waiting to cast their votes at Udianga Enem village with the sum of N7,000 for drinks, urging them to go, that “elections have already been concluded.”
Anxious voters at units 23, Uyo Urban; unit 2, Ward 11, Itam in Itu LGA; unit 001, Ward 14, Uyo, were waiting at about 12:00 noon for election materials.
The unit coordinator for unit 001, Ward 14, Rita Archibong, expressed worry as some voters, who defied the high cost of transportation, started leaving as the poll failed to hold at scheduled time.
At Ikot Abasi LGA and others, the contest was gererally peaceful, but with low voter turn-out, which the former LGA chairman and House of Assembly member, Barr. Uwem Ekanem, blamed on opposition parties’ failure to assert themselves by campaigning and wooing voters, explaining that the PDP was sufficiently prepared for the polls.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the State Police Command, who confirmed the arson attack on Ibiono Ibom LGA AKISIEC office, said the hoodlums had targetted to destroy polling materials, but failed, adding that security had been beefed-up to forestall any further security breach.
“The hoodlums had targetted the polling materials, but could not succeed because all the materials are intact, and the elections are very peaceful,” she stressed even as she called on the people to alert security agencies on any suspicious character during the exercise.
