Political thugs disrupt elections in Abia

Elections in some part of  Abia North and South senatorial zone in Abia  state were disrupted bu thugs who carted away of electoral materials

In some units in Osisioma  and Isiala Ngwa council areas in the state, INEC adhoc staffers were forced to leave the polling units, because they could not provide the result sheets when demanded by party agents.

Although, accreditation started early in the morning in most of the polling units, there were instances where party agents  rejected  the process, leading to calls for the cancellation of elections in the affected area.

A party agent of one of the opposition parties in Unit 002 and 007 at Uratha Ward 7 in Osisioma South local council told the Guardian that he escaped death by whiskers.

The same was the case at Umuakpara village where some sensitive election materials were carted away by thugs.

But the transitional chairman, Isiala ngwa North local council, Chief Ginger Onwusibe, has complained of what he called the  deployment  of the  military to intimidate the voters in the local council.

He also complained of the restriction placed on local council boss saying it has led. Improper coordination of the process.

The local council boss , who blamed the opposition for the harassment urged the military to be fair to all.

Meanwhile, there was absolute calm and peace pervading  various units visited at the time of filing the report, while voting has commenced at some polling centres.

There was also cases of card readers” failures malfunctioning leading to a resort to manual voting at
Ward W, Unit 00X, Umuagbagbiagbi in Osisioma Ngwa South.

The Presiding officer, Eebee Emmanuel said the resort to manual was authorized by INEC following the malfunctioning of the card readers.

Generally, there was low turn out of voters, while there was relative in the area except for the earlier disruption by political thugs.