Photos: Voter apathy, violence, traders defy restriction as Nigerians elect new governors
Despite the high level of interest many Nigerians showed in the 2023 elections, the electoral participation among citizens declined dramatically in the governorship and state House of Assembly elections on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Neusroom gathered that there was low voters’ turnout in Lagos, Anambra, Oyo and other parts of the country.
A Neusroom correspondent in Oyo state reported that electorates appeared to have little interest in the State polls.
In some of the polling units visited in Iseyin local government area of Oyo state, only presiding officers, party agents were seen at the polling units at the time the correspondent visited.
Many have linked the low turnout in Lagos and other parts of the country to fear of attacks by political thugs.
Before the election, there were heated debates in Lagos following the outcome of the presidential election where the Labour Party defeated the President-elect Bola Tinubu in his stronghold. The heated debates sparked tension that suggest that the election will be marred by violence.
Two days to the governorship poll, the Chairman of Lagos Motor Parks Management Committee, Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya was also seen in a viral video making comments that many believe was an attempt to intimidate Igbo voters in the state from coming out to vote.
Although Akinsanya has since denied threatening voters in the state, there were reports of voters’ suppression and pockets of violence in some parts of the state on Saturday.
There were multiple videos circulating on the internet with users claiming hoodlums were attacking voters and preventing others from voting in Isolo, Ago Palace way in Okota, Somolu and other parts of the state.
In Plateau state, market traders at Pankshin local government area and Ampang West in Mangu LGA, defied the restriction and went about their business activities while voting was ongoing.
Meanwhile in Dungung B and Mwel 2 polling units in Kanke Local Government Area of the state, Neusroom gathered that the turnout of voters was impressive.
