Group of women displaying their voter's cards as they queue to cast their votes
Some voters in Port Harcourt, Rivers capital on Saturday expressed happiness over the early arrival of electoral materials to their polling units despite the apathy that greeted the exercise.
A cross section of the voters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that election materials arrived at their polling centres between 8 a.m. and 8:25a.m.
They described the elections as peaceful and commended the orderly conduct of the process, but bemoaned the low turnout.
Emmanuel Nweke said he arrived at his polling centre, Unit 3 Ward 6, Woji Obio/Akpor Local Government Area at about 8:45 a.m. and met the INEC officials and materials already seated.
“This is how elections should be conducted; in a manner that is devoid of violence and malpractice.
“It did not take me up to three minutes to be accredited and vote. I must commend INEC for this,” he said.
Another voter, Nmasi Gabriel, 49, said she arrived at polling Unit 4, Ward 6 around 9a.m. and cast her ballot seamlessly.
“But I don’t think that I will be able to wait till 2:30p.m. when the actual vote counting will commence.
“If the Presidential and National Assembly elections were organised like this, maybe more people would have come out to vote today and the country would be better for it,” she added.
A voter in Ward 12, Unit 4, Rumuowoji, Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Mr Chima Asiegbe said he was impressed by the early arrival of the NEC officials with the voting materials.
He however lamented the low turnout of voters, but noted that the exercise was peaceful.
Chief Boniface Amadi, another voter, blamed the low turnout on alleged lack of confidence the electorate had in INEC, going by the conduct of the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
NAN reports that the main contenders for Rivers governorship position are PDP’s candidate, Sim Fubara, backed by Gov. Nyesom Wike and Tonye Cole of the APC, supported by former Gov. Chibuike Amaechi.
Others are former Senator, Magnus Abe of the SDP and the Labour Party candidate, Beatrice Itubor. (NAN)
