Voter apathy, late arrival of materials mar exercise

The Monday Katsina Local Government election was marred by voter apathy, delay in the arrival of election materials at various polling units as well as complaints by political parties’  agents of non-availability of election results sheets, among others.

The story was virtually similar in all the polling units visited in the Katsina, Batagarawa, Kankia and Safana Local Government Areas of the state.

While agents of the Peoples Democratic Party at Wakili Gabaz 1 and 2 in the Katsina Local Government Area complained of non-arrival of election results sheets as at 8.45am when our correspondent visited the units, the All Progressives Congress agents at Turawa A and B polling units in the Batagarawa Local Government Area made similar complaints over non-availability of the results sheets. The agents spoke under condition of anonymity.

Accreditation of voters was yet to commence at many polling units visited by 9.30am, despite the fact that the election was slated for 8am to 3pm.

It was also observed that fewer voters turned up at polling units despite the state Government’s declaration of Monday as work-free to allow people carry out their civic responsibility.

Trading and commercial activities were also seen to have resumed in Katsina as at 10am and the surrounding towns of Batagarawa, Kayaoki, Charanchi and Kankia, notwithstanding the police restriction on both human and vehicular movements within the state.

Attempts to seek the comments of the chairman of the Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission, Ibrahim Bako, were unsuccessful as he was said to have gone out to inspect the election exercise.

Meanwhile, a joint team of security operatives was seen patrolling various locations in Katsina and in the surrounding towns and cities.

No fewer than 3,187,988 registered voters in the state were expected to participate in the Monday council election.

The exercise was for the election of chairmen for the 34 Local Government Areas of the state and 361 councillors for the councils.

Twelve political parties participated in the election, although only the APC and the PDP reportedly filled candidates for both the chairmanship and councillorship seats.