There is a low turnout of voters in most of the polling units for Saturday’s election into the vacant House of Representatives seat for Surelere federal constituency 1.
The seat in the lower legislative chamber became vacant after President Bola Tinubu appointed Femi Gbajabiamila, immediate-past speaker of the house as his chief of staff.
Fuad Laguda of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Jerry Afemikhe of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); and Adeola Adebanjo of the Labour Party (LP); are the candidates seeking to replace Gbajabiamila at the house of representatives.
Gbajabiamila voted about 11am amid cheers from party members in the constituency.
Speaking in an interview with journalists after voting, Gbajabiamila said the current insecurity in the country is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, noting that he was optimistic that the present administration would tackle the problem.
He said President Tinubu was actively working to solve the security problem in the country and had devise new strategies to deal with the situation.
“The security challenges is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, but we are confident that necessary steps is been taken to solve the situation”, Gbajabiamila said
Although is restrictions of movement in the constituency in which there is adherence as directive issued by the police.
Laguda, candidate of the APC, shared pictures of himself at his polling unit on his X page at about 10:30am.
“I have exercised my franchise at my polling unit, Randle Avenue Primary School PU 009, Shitta/Ogunlana Ward,” he wrote.
Most of the polling units in the constituency recorded low turnout of voters. In some polling units party agent had to move across streets ringing bell to get people attention to come out and vote.
Some residents complained that they do not know that the election was holding today.
“I don’t know there was a serious election, there is no information at all that is why I did not come out”, Usor Mark, a resident said.
