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The local government elections holding today in Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria, have been marred by a combination of factors, among them poor turnout, reports of violence and boycott by the main opposition parties.
In Aiyetoro Gbede town, for example, no polling activity was witnessed in three out of six polling units.
Unconfirmed reports said that angry youths believed to be ACN sympathisers chased away polling staff in some areas while in some others officials of the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) allegedly did not show up.
Even in some places where voting took place, materials did not arrive until 11:00 a.m. instead of 8:00 a.m. as scheduled.
“There is no voting at all in some units in my ward,” Ehindero Mayokun, a councillorship candidate who could not run because of the boycott by ACN, told News Express. “This local government poll is a very bad one. God help this state and country,” he added.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP)had yesterday announced that they would boycott the ballot, accusing KOSIEC and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of having concluded arrangements to rig the process.
•Photo shows Kogi State Governor Idris Wada.
