Some Corps members recruited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as ad hoc staff for the on going Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have decried low voter turnout in some parts of the nation’s capital.
Speaking to BusinessDay on Saturday, Abdulkadir Soliu, a polling Officer, at Polling Unit 018, at Post Office, Area 10, said the turnout ” was very, very low, it is not impressive at all, compared to the Presidential and National Assembly elections.”
He noted that less than 30% of the 3,269 registered voters at the center turned up for voting, even though the electoral officials commenced the exercise as early as 8am. He added that of all the 7 Card Readers available to the staff, only one malfunctioned.
Soliu also urged that INEC should do more sensitisation, adding that the local elections are very important because they are about bringing government closer to the people than even the Presidential and National elections.
Also speaking to BusinessDay, another ad hoc staff at the 009A, Polling Unit, at NNPC, Area 11, who wished to remain anonymous, attributed the low turnout to low interest of people in the local elections, adding that a lot of people were also disappointed with the outcome of the last election.
