Politics
SOME stakeholders have advanced reasons for low turnout of voters for the Plateau North Senate and Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency re-run elections.
The people of the senatorial district and federal constituency, cutting across six local government areas, went to the polls to vote for a senator and a member of the House of Representatives.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was low turn out in some polling units visited.
NAN recalls that the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja in November 2023, nullified the elections of former Senate Minority Leader, Simon Mwadkwon and a member representing Bassa/Jos North Federal Constituency, Rep. Musa Agah.
The apex court sacked the duo who were elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing lack of party structure.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently fixed Feb. 3 for re-run elections to fill the vacancies.
Mr Peter Dung, Transition Implementation Committee Chairman, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau, told newsmen shortly after he voted at Garangi 1 Unit (011) Chugwi, Vom, that the exclusion of the PDP was responsible for the poor turnout.
The chairman said that speculations that the election was postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were another reason.
He called on people who were not happy with the exclusion of PDP from the ballot to rethink and come out to vote for a candidate of their choice.
“INEC has used taxpayers money to organise this election and we must not allow it go to waste.
“Let’s come out and vote for those that will give us effective representation at the National Assembly.
“As you have seen massive turnout in my polling unit, we have put behind our disappointment.
“We will vote for a candidate that will promote and protect our interests,” he said.
Mr Davou Gyang, the state Commissioner for Transport, said the people’s spirit was dampened by exclusion of the PDP.
Gyang said, however, that as democrats, they decided to go with the popular choice of the people who happened to be in another political party.
According to him, not voting is voting for the wrong candidate.
Mr Gyang Bere, the Director of Press and Public Affairs to the Plateau Governor, who voted at Dandyes, Chugwi (015) noted that the election was peaceful and the turnout was encouraging in his area.
Bere advised voters to sustain the peaceful disposition to the end. (NAN)
T.S
-February 3, 2024 @ 18:28 GMT|
Tags: Rep. Musa Agah. Simon Mwadkwon
