By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The European Union (EU) election observer team says at least 21 deaths were recorded from the state governorship and House of Assembly polls in the 36 states of the country on Saturday.
Governorship elections took place in the 28 out of 36 states of the country with only eight states holding “off season elections”. But House of Assembly elections took place across the country with the exemption of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
While the electoral management body had concluded collation of votes and announcement of results in some states from the March 18 polls, others are still ongoing.
The EU Chief Observer, Mr. Barry Andrews, while disclosing the Union’s findings during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, stated that there was massive voter apathy, mainly because voters’ expectations during the presidential election of Feb. 25 were not met.
The EU Observer also explained that there were records of vote buying — inducement of voters with money or other valuables in several parts of the country.
The EU observer mission also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for an improvement in its logistics arrangements, adding that the electoral body did better in the conduct of the polls through the deployment and usage of technology.
Pockets of violence were located in major parts of the country during the polls, including Lagos, Rivers, Anambra, Ebonyi and others. Several ballot boxes were set on fire while the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines were destroyed.
Officials of INEC were taken hostage in states like Kogi and Abia while disruption of collation by thugs were also recorded.
Stemming from lack of confidence in the electoral process, a large turn out of voters recorded in the Feb. 25 National Assembly and presidential polls was not seen during the state polls at the weekend.
