Late arrival of sensitive election materials and low voter turnouts were witnessed as voters elect chairmen and councilors in 3,281 polling units of Cross River State during the Saturday, November 2, local government elections in the state.
Our correspondent who visited some polling units in Calabar Municipality local government area of the state, reported that election materials arrived as late as 1pm against the scheduled 8am.
Many voters who waited as early as 8am to vote left for home angrily with only few who returned back to the polling units to vote when the items arrived.
In one of the polling units at Abang Asang axis, Etta Agbor area in Calabar metropolis, a polling officer, Mr. James Ogar, attributed late voting to logistics challenge, apologising to the people.
Candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Calabar Municipality, Apostle James Anam, called for calm while also lauding the voters for their tolerance and good conduct.
Anam stated that any party that worked better and more popular can win the poll saying he was not afraid of opposition.
In Akpabuyo and Bakassi local government areas, voting began around 10am with very few voters.
In his remarks, the State Security Adviser, Southern Senatorial District, retired Navy Captain Odiong Bassey, stated that the presence of security operatives across at polling centres deterred trouble makers from unleashing violence to disperse voters.
“We have security men all over the place. We’re happy that everywhere is peaceful. We patrolled all the Councils and the presence of our men in all the polling centres is confirmed.
“There have been no security issues. At least, in the southern Cross River State,” he maintained.
At Ikot Effiom Primary School ward 7 Bakassi LGA, an agent of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. John Peters stressed that his party members came out in good numbers to vote and expressed optimism on the exercise.
A voter, Mrs Esther Akiba who voted at Ekpri Ikang Primary School voting unit, expressed confidence that the ruling APC would win in the area, boasting of being the party that shall fix infrastructure in the area.
Also speaking, vice chairmanship candidate for APC, Bakassi local government area, Mrs Essien Archibong Eso commended the Cross River Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIElC) and security agents for peaceful conduct of the polls notwithstanding voters’ apathy.
However, incident of violence was reported in Obubra Urban ward where a councillorship candidate the PDP, Mr. ThankGod Ekong suffered attack by hoodlums allegedly hired by the APC.
The victim was suffered machete cuts and was latter rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
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