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Judex Okoro, Calabar
Low turnout marred the governorship and House of Assembly elections in Calabar metropolis of Cross River State.
Our Correspondent who monitored the election within Ekpo Abasi, Mayne Avenue, Ette Agbor, University of Calabar, UNICAL, Marian and Diamond Hill axis of the metropolis, observed that INEC officials arrived most polling units as early as 8:00a.m with all electoral materials while the voters were not yet around.
It was also observed that the card readers were functioning unlike during the presidential election when most of them malfunctioned.
At some units at Ekpo Abasi, Mayne Avenue and Okon Inok, accreditation started about 8:00a.m with card readers.
But some of the electoral officers, who don’t want their names in print, expressed worries over the low turnout of voters.
Speaking shortly after casting his vote at Ward 5, Unit 5, AME Zion at Diamond Hill, Calabar Municipality LGA of the state, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr Donald Duke, said the heavy deployment of security personnel was responsible for the voter apathy in the area.
He said: “If you are living in one part of the town, you cannot move to where your polling unit is because you will be arrested. This has made it very difficult for many people to come out and this has led to disenfranchisement of a lot of people,” Duke said.
Meanwhile, Governor Ben Ayade has said that despite the initial hiccups in the build up to the election, he was confident of victory.
