Apathy, Lateness Trail Supplementary Election in States

Low turnout to late arrival of electoral officials and materials trailed the supplementary polls conducted yesterday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in various states across the country.

In Rivers State, the turnout for the House of Representatives supplementary election in affected LGAs, particularly Port Harcourt City, was not encouraging.

Some of the opposition political parties, like All Progressives Congress (APC), did not participate in the election, over lack of transparency by  the  electoral umpire and intimidation by supporters of the ruling party.

Many polling units in Port Harcourt Township till midday, had very few voters, even after early arrival of INEC ad hoc staff.

However, the member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency and chairman, Host Communities, House of Representatives, Dumnamene Dekor, lauded security agencies for ensuring a hitch-free supplementary election in Khana and Port Harcourt City Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

Dekor, who expressed optimism of being  re-elected, noted that some mischievous individuals, who had planned to disrupt the poll could not carry out their operation due to the commitment of security agencies to ensure a peaceful exercise.

His words: “Let me give thanks to God and also the security agencies who have been able to ensure that everything in place is very  peaceful. All the cult groups, the gangs, invited by some people didn’t have a place to operate.

“I also thank the good people of Sogho  and Baana communities for their show of love. You can see everything was quite peaceful. “

He also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for demonstrating  exceptional performance, which was at variance with the February 25 and March 18, 2023,  elections.

“Let me commend INEC. Sometimes, you begin to wonder if INEC is still INEC. I think this Electoral Act has rekindled hope of the people, because this is a fallout of previous elections.

“You would agree with me in Rivers State here, His Excellency and Governor (Nyesom Wike) and Government of Rivers State have been able to do what is necessary for the people to have confidence in her. 

” And to some extent, that confidence has been expressed in previous elections, even in the first one we did (February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections), by which INEC declared that we were leading by 6,000 votes.

“I strongly believe that by the grace of God, today, the will of the people will prevail.

He debunked the allegation of vote-buying and arrest of some members of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

He said: “PDP is a political party. It is a family of brothers and sisters. PDP is not a force. It is not a police.

“Those are very spurious allegations. I would say very clearly that, if you’re a criminal, and you are found to be formenting trouble, you are bound to be arrested.

“I am not aware of any arrest because I am not a police officer. And I have not also been briefed that anyone was arrest. “

Similarly, chairman of Khana LGA, Thomas Bariere, has lauded INEC for fulfilling its promise of conducting a transparent supplementary election in the area, after previous polls were cancelled.

He said: “INEC promised the people of Khana that they are going to conduct a free, fair and credible election. And truth be told, exactly that they have done.

“Recall that previous elections, nothing took place in units four and seven due to some issues that have to do with insecurity and misconduct of some of the electorate.

“Having rescheduled the election by INEC, and having briefed security operatives properly, all sister security agencies were properly deployed and the process was very smooth.”

Large turnout in Kebbi

There was a large turn out of voters for the gubernatorial, national and state assemblies supplementary elections held in Kebbi State yesterday.

Polling units where supplementary elections took place in Birnin Kebbi included Takalau M.P.S II, Takalau M.P.S III, and Marafa Hisbah office.

Accreditation and voting took place simultaneously in line with the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

As earlier as 8:30a.m. election officials arrived with the necessary voting materials. d large numbers of voters.

It could be recalled that INEC had declared that gubernatorial supplementary election would be held in 142 polling units (PUs) across 20 local government areas of Kebbi while supplementary election would also hold in Kebbi North Senatorial District, two federal constituencies and eight state constituencies in the state.