The Local Government election in Ebonyi State has suffered voters’ apathy and boycott by opposition parties as only the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) presented candidates for the exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election was held in the 171 wards of the 13 councils of the state yesterday.
People came out in trickles to vote while election materials and officers of the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) arrived late to many polling units.
The electorates, who spoke with journalists, attributed the apathy to the non-fielding of candidates by the opposition parties.
In most units, the electoral officers and materials arrived late as accreditation and voting commenced simultaneously at 10:40 a.m.
There was low voter turnout in Oroke Onuoha Community Primary School polling unit, Oroke Onuha Playground unit, Ebonyi Local Government as well as at the Stadium polling unit 003 in Abakaliki local government area.
In some areas in Abakaliki metropolis, people were seen going about their businesses, though there was restriction of human and vehicular movements.
An electorate, Mr Chigozie Nwafor, said the low turnout was due to non-feilding of candidates by opposition parties.
“You can see, it is only the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that are in for the elections and no other parties,” Nwafor said.
Another resident and politician, Onyeka Nworie, alleged that the EBSIEC did not give political parties a level playing ground to participate in the elections.
