Voter apathy may mar gubernatorial, State Assembly elections

Few hours to the gubernatorial and state Assembly elections, indications have emerged that voter apathy may mar the conduct of the polls, as Nigerians express concern over possible violence. They also cast doubts on the neutrality of the Independence National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has criticised INEC for the shady manner it conducted the February 23 presidential and National Assembly election.

Also, international and independent observers had reported that elections in several polling units, especially in the Southern part of Nigeria, were marred by late arrival of election materials, failure of card readers, manipulation of election results and violence which left several eligible voters disenfranchised.

Several eligible voters who spoke to BusinessDay expressed fear that the election could be characterised by violence. They claimed that the results of the Presidential and National Assembly election announced by INEC in their polling units did not reflect their voting.

Read Also: https://businessday.ng/politics/article/edo-2020-obaseki-flaunts-achievements-in-agric-sector/amp/

A middle-aged man and entrepreneur, Olusegun Mayowa, said he had decided not to vote because it appeared the authorities already had their preferred candidate in his constituency.

“I am not sure, I will not come out to vote this time; the last time, a lot of us came out to vote, but they declared someone else the winner. With all this violence, I would just buy fuel and use my generator to watch what is happening on TV,” Mayowa said.

However, a stockbroker, Shola Ogunwale, advised INEC to improve on the early supply of election materials and security officials to polling units across the country, adding he would watch the tune of event before deciding whether to vote in the election.

“It seemed INEC was colluding with them because it all appeared like a planned work. I will watch how the election unfolds before deciding whether to vote,” Ogunwale said.

However, Femi Akinbiyi, Public Relation Officer, (PRO) of INEC in Lagos State, said the commission had corrected security lapses noticed in the February 23 election, expressing confidence that Saturday’s election would be peaceful, free and fair in Lagos State and across the country.