Residents of Oshodi Local Government Area of the Lagos State have attributed the low turnout of voters during the council polls to the fear of violence.

Several residents told our correspondent that incidents of violence that preceded previous elections in the area was a reason why many people refused to come out to vote this time.

“Many people are afraid. They don’t want to be caught up in any form of violence, so they decided to stay away. A few of my friends told me they were not going to come out to vote because of that,” said a resident, Mr. Sola Ahmed, who voted at the polling unit, Ward B, in Oremeji.

Similarly, another voter, who simply gave her name as Funke, said she took a risk to participate in the voting exercise.

She said, “The heavy rains aside, the truth is a lot of people are scared of election violence. A lot of people came out to vote during the last elections that were cancelled, but many did not come out this time because of the killings that occurred prior to this elections.”

However, a voter, Adesola Odedokun, said the low turnout was “because the people were not happy with the state and local governments.”

“Many of my friends said they were not going to vote because their votes won’t count in the larger scheme of things,” noted another voter, Mrs. Anne Akapo.

As at 2.25pm, only 60 people out of 631 registered voters had cast their votes in Ward B, Oremeji polling unit; while only 200 out of 997 registered voters had voted in polling unit 10, Ward B, Adeyemi/Arowojobe junction.

Voting started between 9 am and 10 am in the polling units.

“One cannot read the minds of the people. But I think the low voters’ turnout was because of the heavy downpour,” said a polling officer in Oremeji, Mr Saheed Abolaji.

Despite the rains and the late delivery of voting materials to many polling units across the state, election officials told our correspondent that the voting exercise is expected to have been concluded by 3 pm.

 

Source: Punchng
Low voters turnout: We’re scared of violence, Oshodi residents say

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