GUARDIAN NG
Voter apathy, ballot snatching and late arrival of materials characterized Saturday’s council election polls held in defiance of the order of the federal High Court in Kano.
Aggrieved voters in parts of Gwale, Kunchi, Warawa and Bichi local councils of the state who were unhappy with the conduct of officials of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) vented their anger by destroying ballot papers.
In some of the polling units, aggrieved youths even went on to set fire to voting materials due to the lackadaisical attitudes of KANSIEC officials.
At polling units in Gwale, including that of the Governor, Shuwaki, in Kunchi local and Jemagu in Warawa Local Government council, scores of eligible voters described the exercise as a sham and tore ballot papers as they chanted: “Bamayi, Bamayi, Barayi ne, Barayi ne”.
A similar scenario played out in Lamba, Bichi local council as youths took advantage of the absence of security personnel to disrupt the exercise and set ablaze ballot papers.
The APC while distancing itself from the poll called on the state government to adhere to the directive of the Federal high court in Kano presided over by Justice Simon Amobeda which restrained KANSIEC from holding the council poll after sacking the Chairman, secretary and commissioners of the agency.
