LG Polls: Bauchi Experiences Poor Voter Turnout

The Bauchi state local government elections has recorded an acute voter turnout due to late arrivals distribution and arrival of sensitive elections materials across the state.

Our correspondent gathered that voters arrived at several polling units early to cast their votes but could not stay any longer as both election officials and materials were nowhere to be found as at 10:00 am in some places up to 12pm.

It was gathered that the delay was caused by the elections umpire, the Bauchi State Independent Electoral Commission (BASIEC), who could not mobilise elections officials to their respective polling units.

At Yelwan Duguri village where the State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed registered his eligibility to vote, elections were held there, especially the Yelwan Duguri model primary school where the exercise was concluded as about 1:15pm with ballot box full with ballot papers

Garba Halliru Abubakar was a presiding officer for the chairmanship and councillorship elections at all the model school polling stations where he said that accreditation of eligible voters started by 8: 00am, saying it was a free and fair elections.

Abubakar said that they had completed the exercise after 12: noon and the results were already announced for the three polling units code named Baqin Dutse being housed by the model school.

He enumerated the election results for the PDP chairmanship as 453 votes and APC 10 votes, while for the councillorship APC has 74 votes, and PDP got 462, and total registered eligible voters are 542.

It shows that across four polling units within Bauchi metropolis which has over 3244 registered voters only 58 persons voted i.e. only about 2% of voters in that area voted at 1:30 pm.

Other local governments in the state suggest similar patterns of voter apathy persist with the state.

Some attribute it to the farming season while others don’t have confidence in the election.

Meanwhile, Mr Mamman Eri, the led Observer, as well as the Chairman, Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission who led the team of other States chairmen of the (SIEC) to monitor the elections said the election is peaceful in Bauchi.

He commended people of Bauchi State for conducting themselves at the polling units and the security agencies for maintaining peace at the elections units in the State

“We have gone round some polling units. The election was peaceful, people conducted themselves and the agents of political parties present at the polling units in the state is commendable,” Eri said.

While voters at several polling units in Warji Local Government Area were left stranded after electoral officers failed to show up by 11:30 am.

Some voters expressed their frustration, claiming they had anticipated such delays, alleging that the government might be planning to manipulate the process.

Abdulrazak Haruna Gilas, a voter, said he arrived at his polling unit early in the morning, eager to cast his vote.

“I came here at about 8:00 am for the election, but none of the electoral officers showed up. We’re still waiting for them,” he said.

Another voter, Muhammad Ganga from Dagu Ward, stated that there was no clear indication of when the elections would commence. He added that many people waiting for the election materials were growing tired and frustrated.

Ganga also accused the ruling party of deliberately orchestrating the delays to discourage voters and manipulate the results. He expressed doubts about the fairness of the process, saying he lacked confidence that votes for his preferred candidates would be accurately counted.

The affected polling units include Tuya Primary School 001 and 002, as well as Koriya 001 Polling Unit, where people were seen stranded, awaiting the arrival of electoral officers.

Also the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ningi Local Government, Hon. Abdulmumini Hassan, has alleged that the election process in the local government has been rigged by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking to journalists in Ningi, Hon. Abdulmumini Hassan expressed his concerns, stating that even before the announcement of the results, the process had already been marred by irregularities.

These include the assault of the APC agent, illegal voting in favor of the PDP, the presence of PDP members as electoral officers, and the hiding of election materials in some wards within Ningi.

He further alleged that election materials have yet to be sent to about seven wards, all of which are APC strongholds, due to fears of the potential outcomes in those wards.

According to him, the election is null and void, and he called on the relevant authorities to disregard the results.

He also claimed that the Bauchi State Governor is apprehensive about the election outcome and has employed mechanisms to manipulate the process.

Underage children were captured in a video seen casting votes for PDP candidates at polling units in Senior Primary School, Maciya, and Kofar AAY in Ningi Ward.

Additionally, at Bunusai Ningi East Polling Unit, only PDP supporters were observed illegally voting for the party.

Meanwhile, many polling units in Ningi have already concluded the voting process.