The Local Government elections in Plateau on Saturday witnessed a low turnout of voters in Mangu, Pankshin and Kanke local government areas.
The polls were,however,conducted peacefully in the three areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in most of the polling units visited in those areas only few voters were seen trying to get accredited and cast their votes .
At Sabin Gari, Angwan Hausa II and III and Panyam township School polling units among others in Mangu,the Presiding Officers were only issued 500 ballot Papers each for Chairmanship and Councilor ship to conduct the election.
Most of the polling has more than 1000 registered voters especially Angwan Madaki, GSS Pankshin A, Kabwor 1 polling units which has 1, 640, 1,181 and 1,315 register voters respectively.
“As you can see we have only two booklets of 500 leaflets each for the election of Chairman and Councillors in this polling Unit, ” Mr Bello Annas, Angwan Hausawa III Presing Officer explained
At GSS Pankshin B, the two booklets of 300 leaflets for Chairmanship and Councillorship issued to them got exhausted around 1. 50 pm and were waiting for the PLASIEC LG Supervising Officer (SO) to supply them with more ballot Papers.
The Presiding Officer of the Polling Unit Miss Alice Christian, lodged the complaint before the Acting Chairman of Pankshin of Pankshin Local Government, Mr Yakubu Isa-Fobur, who went round on monitoring.
Isa-Fobur had assured her of immediate tackling of the shortage to ensure smooth completion of the exercise.
He, however, expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the election, but described the turnout as “not encouraging” for our democratic processes.
“But the good thing is that the exercise is very peaceful in spite of the low turnout. What can help trigger positive growth and development is peace, so I enjoin all Pankshin citizens to live in peace for our desired progress as an Area, ” (NAN)
