Low Voter Turnout, Late Arrival Of Materials Mar Rivers LG Polls

Low turnout of voters as well as late arrival of voting materials at various polling units marred the ongoing local government elections in Rivers State.

LEADERSHIP observed that most residents remained indoors within Port Harcourt metropolis where young people of voting age were seen playing football instead of going to the polling units to cast their votes

Our correspondent observed that as at 11am, materials were yet to arrive at most polling units in Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

Meanwhile, voting commenced at majority of the various wards and polling units across the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, amidst voter apathy.

As at the time of filing this report, in LGAs monitored by our correspondent including PHALGA, Obio/Akpor, Ogu/Bolo, Khana, Eleme, Oyigbo, Akuku-Toru, Ahoada East, Okrika, Tai, Gokana, and Degema local government areas, voting commenced between 10:30am and 11:30 am in polling units that materials have arrived.

Some polling units had commenced voting at the time of filing this report while some others were yet to begin the process, awaiting elections materials.

There was however general peaceful atmosphere with security agencies on the ground in all the wards and units monitored.

Participating political parties in the elections include Accord Party (AC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Youth Progressive Party (YPP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).