Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Saturday’s council polls in Benue State witnessed low turn out of voters even as members of the public went about their businesses without any hindrance.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) had on Friday, in a statement, pulled out of the election with a call on its loyalists to remain calm and prepare for 2023.
When our correspondent moved round to monitor the election in Makurdi and Guma local government areas of the state, it was observed that few electorates turned out at a time in compliance with the social distancing rule.
Governor Samuel Ortom who cast his vote at Ako polling unit around 9: 18am told newsmen shortly after that he was satisfied with the conduct of the election.
He said the election was in line with the directive from the State Independent National Electoral Commission (BSIEC) that electorates should come out in bits to vote to ensure social distancing.
“Vote and leave in order to give room for other electorates to also exercise their franchise.
“The Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (BSIEC) has directed that in order to guard against the spread of COVID-19, only 30 electorates will be allowed at the polling units at a time.
So, if you vote, you have to leave to allow others too to come and vote.
The Governor expressed the confidence that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would win overwhelmingly in the council polls stressing that in most of the local governments, the PDP candidates are unopposed.
When reminded that the APC which is the main opposition party in the state boycotted the election, Governor Ortom said that from the onset, the party did not show any commitment to participate in the election.
“We do not have any opposition. The All Progressives Congress (APC) did not show any commitment to the election. They did not pay the required fees. They went to court demanding that the election should be put off but they lost the case.
“The Court ruled that the election must hold. It would have been conducted before now as earlier scheduled but due to Covid-19 it was shifted to today,” he said.
On his part, Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC), Prof. Garba Sheka from Kano State who is the leader of the national observers said although the turn out was relatively low, he attributed it to the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.
Also speaking, BSIEC Chairman Joseph Loko in a chat with newsmen after visiting polling units at LGEA Wurukum, and Agena Angough along Market lane in Makurdi, applauded the level of turnout in all the polling units despite the lockdown.
“The attendance was 60 percent but that is understandable going by the current COVID-19 pandemic which has necessitated social distancing.”