As Nigerians round up the 2023 general elections with gubernatorial and state assembly elections, the polls have been fraught with low turnout of voters at the polling units visited in Chikun and Kaduna North local government areas.
Though materials arrived most of the polling units with an hour of kickoff of elections, unlike the presidential and National Assembly polls, the turnout in this election is worse than that previously recorded.
At the MPH 048 Polling Unit in Millennium City, Chikun local government, Kaduna the turnout there was scanty as few people were seen around, same as Polling Unit 009 Jabi Road, Kaduna North local government area. One of the residents who was seen organising the voters for orderly poll at Jabi Road said the low turnout may have been caused by perceived late arrival of materials.
Malam Hassaruna Gau said “there was low turnout of voters because materials arrived late during the presidential election so people decided to wait and allow election materials arrived before coming to the polling unit”.
In Ungwar Rimi, at Polling Unit 009 Kinshasha by Song Road, less than 200m to State INEC office, Polling Unit 011 Etsu by Ohinoyi Road and Polling Unit 012 Etsu Road, the turnouts were appalling as few voters were seen carrying out their civic duties in the various voting centers.
At a polling unit on Isa Kaita by Katuru Road the turnout was also poor, same as three polling units on Katuru Road Kaduna North local government area of Kaduna state. At State House Kawo, Kaduna the apathy was so loud as the election officials were seen sitted discussing as there was no voter, hence nothing for them to do.
At Polling Units 022, 023 and 024 LEA Primary School Kawo, Kaduna North local government the story was not different. Though there were some voters around but anyone can come and vote straight away within three minutes since there is no queue.
The story was not any different in Kafanchan, Jema’a local government area, as a former Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurencia Labaran Malam while lamenting the poor turnout of voters, after casting her vote, blamed it on apathy due to the result of the February 25 presidential election. She said many of the voters stayed away because the result of the presidential election was unfavourable to them.