Just In: Voters Apathy Mars Rivers Supplementary Elections

• Some residents in Rovers state decided not to perform their constitutional rights amid supplementary polls in the state
• According to reports, the high presence of security operatives informed the choice of most voters in the areas where the exercises are held
• Meanwhile, Saturday’s supplementary National Assembly election in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of Rivers commenced smoothly and peacefully despite the low turnout of voters, reports further indicate

The supplementary election in Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2, Rivers State, on Saturday, April 15, suffered high voter apathy.

According to findings by The Punch, some wards and polling units had only a handful of voters seen.

Low voters mar Rivers poll

At the St Andrews Primary School in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Ward 11, Unit 24, as at 9:44am only six voters had been accredited; while in Unit 25, only 12 persons were accredited as at 9:50 am.

However, in Unit 27, the situation was different as 28 persons were accredited as at 9:46 am.

Voters turnout at the wards visited

Also in Ward 5, Unit 8 and 9, Open Space in Creek Road, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and voting materials arrived early but as at 9:53 am, no voter had cast a vote.

In Unit 29, Ward 10 of PHALGA which has over 700 voting population, only three persons had cast their vote as at 10:03am, while in Unit 30 and 64, no voter had been accreditated.

In Ward 10, Unit 41 and 42, Mile 3, accreditation started at 8:30 am but by 10:30 am, only four persons had cast their votes in a polling unit with 709 voters.

PDP suspends top chairman over anti-party activities, others

Philip Aivoji, the chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been suspended over anti-party activities.

Aivoji was suspended alongside Tai Benedict, the deputy chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the PDP on Thursday, April 13.

With their suspension effected by the ward executives of the party in Ward E, Badagry Local Government Area and Ward J1 of Epe LGA, the duo were said to have acted in gross violation of the PDP’s constitution.

PDP, APC supporters clash in Rivers, 1 person shot

On Monday, April 3, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed in Port Harcourt, resulting in one person sustaining a gunshot injury from a stray bullet.

Earlier, PDP members had protested outside the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and demanded a joint inspection of election materials by all political parties.

In response, the APC, led by its governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, announced that they would demand the release of Certified True Copies of documents used for the March 18 governorship election at the INEC office on Monday.

Source: calabargistblog.com.ng