Voter apathy mars Abia council poll

Even as the Abia state Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu described yesterday’s polls as peaceful; reports showed that voter apathy marred the local government polls in the state. The governor and his wife Nkechi, cast their votes around 1pm at Umuobiakwa Ward 7, Unit 002 in Obingwa LGA of the state.

He said that if the scene at his ward were similar statewide, he would score the state election umpire (ABSIEC), Mkpa Agu Mkpa 90%. He expressed delight that the people have become politically aware and excited that local government elections have held twice in five years under his watch, describing this as unprecedented.

However, state lawmaker for Bende North Constituency, Chijioke Chukwu of the APC urged ABSIEC to cancel the polls in Bende in order to redeem its image. He alleged absence of ABSIEC officials and adhoc workers in all Bende LG polling units, claiming that if the poll were fairly conducted, his APC would win all units and wards and accused the state ruling PDP (the governor’s party) of delay tactics. Chukwu consequently urged members of the contesting opposition parties and lovers of peaceful polls and democracy not to leave the LG premises until the election is transparently conducted, stressing that the era of re-writing election results in favour of the ruling PDP is over.

Reacting to the voter apathy, Mkpa said that the state has always struggled with voter apathy. He told The Guardian that APC youths refused voting materials being moved from Umunneochi and Bende LG headquarters to the polling units insisting that they (youths) must search, examine and certify every election material before they can be moved out to the polling units.