Voter apathy mars governorship, House of Assembly elections in Kwara
By Mosunmola Ayobami, Ilorin
The ongoing governorship and state House of Assembly elections in Kwara State is experiencing low voter turnout.
Vehicular movement in Ilorin metropolis and some suburban communities was high, a sharp contrast to what was obtainable during the presidential and National Assembly elections conducted three weeks ago.
Deputy governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state. Hon. Gbenga Makanjuola said that he suspected foul play over complaints of repeated brake down of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation (BVAS) in some parts of the state.
Makanjuola also decried low turnout of voters which he said might not be unconnected with “abnormalities” recorded during the February 25 presidential elections in the state.
The former member of the House of Representatives who cast his ballot in his Oke-Aja polling units (008), decried the non-functioning of BVAS in some areas believed to be the strong hold of the oppositions in Omu-Aran.
“The turnout is low, may be because of complicity in the last elections on the aspect of the umpire where voters were being deprived of their votes from being counted and may be some people believe they have gotten what they wanted,” he said.
Also speaking to journalists at his polling unit 008, former military administrator of Bauchi and Osun states, Col Theophilus Bamigboye expressed concerns about voter apathy recorded in the elections saying “the turnout is low, but I don’t know why.”
He, however, expressed delight with the peaceful conduct of the elections and manner at which voters conducted themselves.
