***Opposition alleges diversion of materials
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Accreditation and Voting in the Kogi State Local Government Councils’ elections conducted on Saturday was concluded before noon in most of the polling units in Lokoja metropolis due to low voter turnout.
Our correspondent who monitored the Council Polls in Lokoja, Kogi State capital city reports that election was generally peaceful and security personnel deployed to man most of the polling units had little or nothing to do than watch the process peacefully.
Accreditation and voting commenced under the vigilant watch of the security personnel from various security agencies at the polling units.
While there were reports of late arrival of electoral materials in some units, the voters who trickled in had less hassles in registering and casting their votes.
At Ganaja Township unit 057, one of the voters, Rekiya Ibrahim, told our Correspondent shortly after casting her vote that the election was seamless and she had no problem at all exercising her franchise.
Also at Ganaja Township Polling Unit 009, Mrs Bridget Oyedele who confirmed that the election was hitch free said electoral materials and polling officials from the state Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) arrived the unit shortly before 9 am.
She said that the early hours witnessed a rush of voters who were accredited, cast their votes and left adding that there were no complaints of electoral malpractices as voting ended at about 12:30 pm.
At Crowther Memorial College, Ward A collation centre for Lokoja Local Government Area with about five different units, election materials arrived at about 8:00 am and the centre remained a beehive of activities as the election commenced early and remained peaceful all through.
Most voters interviewed by our correspondent described the election as transparent and peaceful and commended the state electoral body (KOSIEC) for providing a peaceful atmosphere for them to exercise their civic rights.
Mr Sunday Shata in his reaction said, “I am impressed with the conduct of this Local Government election. Although there is low turn out of voters, the most important thing here is that it is peaceful and transparent.
“Our prayers is that, who ever emerge as the winner of this election should ensure that they develop the grassroots”, he said.
In their observation of the Saturday Council polls, Civil Society Organizations in the state under the aegis of Kogi Non-Governmental Organizations Network (KONGONET) commended the peaceful conduct of the election across the state.
KONGONET in its preliminary observation report of the Local Government Councils’ election also noted instances of late arrival of election materials in several polling units, particularly in Lokoja, the state capital.
According to the Network, conversely, reports from Ajaokuta, Ijumu, Olamaboro, Adavi, Okene and other local government indicated timely arrival of materials in some polling units, contributing to the smooth electoral process in those areas.
In the report signed by KONGONET Chairperson, Amb. Idris Ozovehe Muraina, the Network commend KOSIEC for its enhanced openness towards civil society organizations.
“The accreditation of KONGONET and our deployment of 30 observers across various LGAs and polling units demonstrates a positive step towards transparency in the electoral process”, the report added.
KONGONET however urged the Commission to improve on pasting of voters register, timely arrival of election materials to all polling units, security deployment to address strict adherence to movement restrictions.
It also urged the Commission to upscale its publicity and sensitization of voters to improve election turnout.
Meanwhile, State Organising Secretary of the main opposition party in the state, the People Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Abdulkadir Ibrahim has picked holes in the exercise describing it as a sham.
Hon. Abdulkadir alleged diversion of electoral materials to unknown destinations saying that at KOSIEC headquarters in Lokoja, materials where diverted after distribution alleging that many local governments and polling units did not see materials. (Ends)