From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Contrary to the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections that recorded large turnout of voters in Ekiti State, the State House of Assembly poll recorded low turnouts in virtually all the I6 local government areas of the state.
Ekiti is among the few States in the country where only the State Assembly election is taking place.
In many of the polling units visited, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived early to do their work and accreditation began at 8:00am, with few voters on queue.
Security operatives were present in many of the polling units, but it was, however, observed that security arrangement which was tight during last election, was relaxed as there were only few armed security agents on the roads, with just few ones, manning the polling venues in some places.
Ado Ekiti, the state capital is one of the many towns where low turnout of voters was witnessed.
Commenting on the development, the Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Jide Awe, who cast his vote at Ward 004, Unit 004, Erijiyan- Ekiti , Ekiti West local government area of the state said, ” There is low turnout. I started noticing this last night because there is no much movement. We now discovered that it may be because of the cashless policy. People don’t have money to spend, to use for transport and all that.
That is the only reason we can adduce for the low turnout. But in the February 25 election, people really came out to vote because of the personality involved, that’s Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. We believe people might still come out. The last election is quite different from this. This is a single election in Ekiti which we expect people to have been coming out. We noticed that the initial hustling and bustling that used to go with pre-election is not there at all.”
However, it was a different development in Ikogosi-Ekiti, the hometown of the governor of the state, Biodun Oyebanji, as residents of the community trooped out in large numbers in solidarity with their son, to participate in the House of Assembly election.
While many walked long distances, following the restriction on vehicular movements, a few, went to their polling units by commercial motor bikes.
At the different polling units visited both at Ikogosi-Ekiti , Ward 003, unit 6 and Ikere-Ekiti ,the country home of the Deputy governor, Chief Mrs Afuye, voters were seen checking their names on the displayed voter register, while others were on queues.