By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Governorship and State Assembly election in Borno state witnessed low turn out of voters, when compared to the last presidential and national assembly election.
Our correspondent, who visited some of the polling units in Maidugiri, observed that most residents were unwilling to come out and exercise their franchise for several reasons which may likely affect the outcome of the election and possibility of the election bearing low count votes.
Speaking to our Correspondent in Maiduguri,one Adam Modu Aisamu, a trader living in Bulumkutu Abuja said,” we have our voters card and the election officials are also on ground but we are still hanging out still checking the situation around to see whether there is the possibility of having our chance to vote again.
” But this time around Borno state, people don’t want to waste their time and energy to wait in queues for hours for accreditation and finally vote but to end up not getting the right candidates they voted for or loss our franchise to some hoodlums snatching the ballot boxes or seizing the election papers and other materials”.
“We don’t think we can vote again. Enough is enough. Let them go and continue to do whatever they want to do in the name of election, if they can not give everybody his or her right and freedom to choose his or her political leaders.
You see if these politicians are elected based on their character and integrity, while many are elected by the people based on the party name whether such candidates are the right choice or suitable or competent or capable of serving their people effectively and efficiently.
No. We will vote later but depending on the situation and availability of the election officials. Although, today’s election is quite different from the last election as you can see voters are willing and waiting to vote for their governor and state Assembly members,”Aisami said.
Another resident of Gomari Ward in Maiduguri, Malam Yusuf Ahmed, a school teacher said,” we are hopeful that the election will be peaceful and free as the last election and from the turn out. We envisage that the number of votes may not reach the total number of votes of the last election despite the BVAs machines functionality in most polling units
The elections officials and security are available even earlier before I am here but no voters available to start casting their votes. But we believe that people will finally come at the end of the election period . Elections are usually hold here peacefully. We don’t allow holiganism here. Our children are disciplined and trained to behave and not to misbehave.
An adyhoc staff of INEC , one Mohammed Adamu at Bulumkutu Kasuwa Area polling unit said: “We actually don’t have any problem here for now. We have all our election materials ready and collected. We have the BVAS machine and security. We also have our back up configuration facilities. The internet service is also ok and available unlike during the last election.
While a student of University of Maiduguri, Abdulllahi Tanko, said: “I don’t think people will be freely and willing to come out and vote again for any election as their votes and franchise was snatched by the ruling APC.
“We shown interest and came out en masse but surprisingly, Nigerians were denied their choice. So how do you expect the same people to come out again to vote. This is one the reasons people won’t come out en masse like before to vote any body.
