John Adams, Minna
No fewer than 4,600 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were among the 2,390,350 eligible voters in Niger State that cast their ballots in yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the state. The IDPs were being camped at Kagara and Pandogari towns in Rafi and Shiroro Local Government Areas following the activities of armed bandits that sacked them from their ancestral homes.
Reports from the camp indicated that the IDPs expressed happiness that they were able to exercise their franchise.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, said the IDPs were allowed to vote “because we have a framework for IDPs to vote in this election.”
He added: “We used the framework and everything went on smoothly. We consulted all the stakeholders; the Electoral Officer was carried along.”
Meanwhile, former governor of Niger State, Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu, after casting his ballot in Minna, appreciated the orderly conduct of the election and the huge turnout of voters.
“I am highly impressed with the large turn out of voters. People have conducted themselves in orderly manner,” Aliyu said.