LG Polls: Low Voters Turn-Out In Eneka
Edith CHUKU
Compared to previous elections in the state, the October 5, local government election in some polling units in Rivers State, witnessed low turnout of electorate.
In Eneka Clan in Ward 14, of the Obio/Akpor LGA of the state, where our correspondent monitored, there were mixed reactions regarding the election.
While some electorate said there was no election at all, there were those who insisted that election held and that the turnout was massive, while some others said there was election but that the turnout was low.
About 10am when TNN arrived at Unit 16-Open Space Olukwu New Layout NDDC Road, and Rumuogunuoma Playground, election had not yet started and adhoc staff of the state Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC, had not yet arrived.
Also, around 11:30 when our correspondent arrived at Unit 14-Community Primary school 11, in Eneka, RSIEC staff were not yet on ground.
But when TNN got to the Rumuowha playground in Eneka, at about 12 noon, some residents confirmed that election held and had been concluded.
Speaking in an interview at the Rumuowha playground polling unit, Mr. Ben Beera explained that, “this is just local government election only few persons are interested in local government election, most persons around here are strangers, the few persons who are indigenes some of them are against this very election.”
Beera who noted that the process was encouraging, added that, “actually I came out this morning to check the polling unit, and I saw the people that came out to vote and some electoral materials they brought.
“I saw some person casting their vote. To me I will say election was held. As at the time I came out by 10 am I saw people voting at Rumuowha playground.
“The turn up was not as massive as it used to be but then the people who actually understood it came out so election held.”
Contrary to Beera’s statement, some residents lamented that since seven in the morning they arrived their polling unit they were yet to cast their votes.
They claimed that no adhoc staff from the state Independent Electoral Commission RSIEC, came to their polling unit and that materials had not arrived.
According to them, residents did not turn out because of their compliance to court order.
Airing his view on the election, Mr. Johnson Zeruuwa said, “actually, I was trying to check if there will be an election today but I can tell you right now that there is no election.
“There was nowhere they conducted any election, whatever happened, they just did mago-mago.”
Insisting that there was no election, Zeruuwa explained that he came from “Igwuruta to Eneka, I drove with my car, there is no election, as you can see, this is one o’clock, you can’t see any INEC person, you can’t see anybody around.
“I was here since 7:00 there is no election. These are people against democracy, there is no election.”
In his message to RSIEC, the Rivers youth charged the Commission to “obey the law.”
Also speaking, Mrs. Ape Samuel also narrated her experience at the Rumukaraka hall in Eneka.
According to her, “we dey here since morning, since morning, no election. Nothing happen here. We no see INEC people; we no see anybody.”
