Violence And Apathy Hit Polls In Enugu, Kebbi

Violence And Apathy Hit Polls In Enugu, Kebbi

Violence, intimidation and technical problems affected Saturday’s by-elections in parts of Nigeria as voters headed to polling units to fill vacant legislative seats.

The elections took place in several states, with reports of disruptions in Enugu and poor voter turnout in Kebbi, while other areas recorded a calmer exercise.

In Enugu State, allegations of attacks on opposition members and voter intimidation surfaced in some communities.

Reports also pointed to delays caused by faulty BVAS devices and the late arrival of election materials in several polling units.

Some candidates and party officials complained that these challenges prevented many voters from taking part in the exercise.

Kebbi State witnessed a largely peaceful poll, but participation remained low across many voting centres.

Many residents continued with their daily activities as markets and businesses operated normally.

Political leaders in the state, however, expressed optimism about the outcome and described the election as important for future political contests.

In contrast, voting in Ondo, Rivers and Nasarawa states progressed without major security concerns, although a few areas experienced weather-related delays and minor technical issues.

In Kano, the Nigeria Democratic Congress said it stayed away from the election over security concerns and claims that some of its members had been attacked.

Electoral officials and security agencies continued monitoring the process as voting and collation moved forward.