… As Pockets Of Violence Characterize Some Polling Units
From Maduabuchi Nmeribeh, Kano
Voters turned out en masse to exercise their franchise in polling units designated for election across about 16 Local Government Areas in Kano state where the supplementary elections for House of Representatives and state House of Assembly took place.
Our Correspondent who monitored the exercise observed that election materials arrived polling units as early as 8 a.m, while election started at about 8:30 a. m in most polling units.
Staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also arrived their duty post on time as they attended to voters who queue up to vote for candidates of their choice.
The police authorities in the state provided adequate security at polling units and within the areas where elections were holding as police and sister security agencies were sighted at strategic locations, while others were on constant patrol checkmating movements and activities of unpatriotic elements.
However, there were stories of snatching and destruction of ballot boxes and menace of political thugs in some polling units at Fagge Federal Constituency where candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party (LP) were contesting the supplementary election.
It was gathered that at Kurna Gabas polling unit 430 and 026 in Fagge, ballot boxes were destroyed by political thugs.
But at Kwachiri polling unit in the same Fagge area, election was going on smoothly, as voters were sighted exercising their franchise.
As at the time of filling this report, there was no report of major violent incident across the state.
The Assistant Inspector General of police in-charge of Kano supplementary election, AIG Ibrahim Sani Kaoje and the Commissioner of Police in- charge of the supplementary election, Mr. Muhammed Gumel and their teams were sighted moving round parts of the state where the supplementary elections held, monitoring the exercise.
The AUTHORITY reports that the supplementary elections for Federal House of Representatives held in Fagge Federal Constituency and Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency.
While the state House of Assembly supplementary elections held in 14 state House of Assembly Constituencies which include Ajingi, Danbatta, Dawakin Tofa, Gwarzo, Gezawa, Makoda, Takai, Ungogo, Warawa, Gabasawa, Tudun Wada, Gaya, Wudil and Garko.
Election was still going on as at the time of filling this report.
INEC is expected to commence collation and announcement of results later in the day.
