…Naira Scarcity Responsible for Voter Apathy- Senator Sani Musa
From John Adams, Minna
Low turnout of Voters was the hallmark of the Saturday governorship and house of assembly elections in Niger state, as most polling units visited in Minna, the state capital and its environs were almost empty with electoral officer sitting idle, waiting for Voters.
Although unlike in the Presidential and the National Assembly elections where electorates turned out in their numbers as early as 7;00am with enthusiasm, most polling units were empty even as at 8;00am when our correspondent visited with INEC Officials on ground ready with electoral materials.
The low turnout notwithstanding the state Governor Abubakar Sani Bello described the election process as seamless, and commended the electorate for turning out to exercise their franchise.
Governor spoke shortly after casting his vote at the Mustapha Alkali Polling Unit, Kontagora, headquarter of Kontagora local government area of the state on Saturday.
According to him, “It has never been this easier in the previous elections. The process is very seamless; the turnout is not too bad, adding that, “Electorates should vote peacefully”
However the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District, Senator Sani Musa attributed the low turnout of Voters to scarcity of funds, occasioned by the naira redesign policy of the Federal Government which was a major concern to the National Assembly. .
“People are not happy because they don’t have access to their money to enable them meet up with some basic things. You should expect this level of Voters apathy because there is no cash in people’s pocket and this is what we complained bitterly at the National Assembly and the oppositions reasoned differently to it”.
However, the Governorship candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Alhaji Umar Bago commended INEC for the peaceful conduct of the election despite the low turnout of Voters, saying that the early arrival of electoral materials was a very good development.
The governorship candidate spoke shortly after casting his vote at polling unit 011 in Tswashagi Raba, Bida Local Government Area at about 10.10 am
He also described the process so far as peaceful,transparent, free and fair.
Also member, representing Kontagora, Mariga, Mashegu, and Wushishi Federal Constituency, Abdullahi Idris Garba though commended the peace process of the election; he acknowledged the low turnout of voters in his constituency.