Governor Ganduje casting his vote in Kano…yesterday
• Ganduje Exults As Witness Claims Hijack Of Ballot Boxes
Low turnout of voters amid alleged hijack of election materials, yesterday, characterised conduct of local council election in Kano State. Signs that the election would witness poor outing emerged with late arrival of electoral officers and materials at various polling units, despite the presence of a few eligible voters.
The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) had scheduled accreditation and casting of ballots to commence and terminate within 8am to 3pm, when sorting and counting would commence.
But contrary to those projections, election did not start as at 10am across places visited, due to late arrival of electoral officers, just as The Guardian noticed that election did not start in various wards at Fagge, Sabon Gari, Municipal, Taruni, Kumbotso and Nassarawa local councils as scheduled.
KANSIEC had told journalists that over five million registered voters were expected to cast their votes, while 12 political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC) and main leading opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were billed to participate in the poll.
The Commission said 10,000 security operatives, including police, Immigration officers, Customs, Civil Defence and local vigilance group, were deployed to ensure a hitch-free exercise, even as movement was restricted from 1midnight on Friday to 6pm yesterday.
Ballot boxes and electoral materials were reportedly carted away by individuals wearing APC agent tags, at Tudun Fulani Jamade Polling Unit in Ungogo Local Council of the state.
An eyewitness narrated how alleged agents returned the electoral materials a few minutes later and simply announced, “the election is over”.
“When they returned with boxes already thumb-printed, they simply told the people that election was over and went away with KANSIEC officials.
“Similarly, at a polling unit in Brigade, Gama Ward of Nassarawa Local Council, massive thumb-printing of ballot papers were observed,” the witness said.
