At least 17 people were killed in various acts of electoral violence in Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Cross River, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Osun, and Benue states as violence, apathy, and disenfranchisement of voters marred Saturday’s governorship and state House of Assembly elections.
Explaining the low turnout of the voters, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in the February 25 presidential poll, Mr. Peter Obi, argued that Nigerians did not come out in large numbers because the results of the presidential poll did not reflect their wishes.
Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, also noted that the people were discouraged because they did not get what they wanted in the presidential poll.
Obi’s Labour Party has also described Saturday’s poll as the worst ever conducted in the country.
In spite of the security architecture the Lagos State Police Command and other sister agencies supposedly put in place, sponsored hoodlums overran the state as they unleashed violence on voters and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
From Surulere to Oshodi, Mile 12, Ejigbo, Bucknor, Oke-Afa, Bolade Oshodi, Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Berger, Ojo, Agiliti, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Mushin, Igando, Ibeju Lekki, Alimosho, Ijegun, Ijesha, Ikeja, Magodo, Elegushi, Fadeyi, and many other areas, these thugs ran amok unchecked.
Backed by local militia and touts, the hoodlums brutalised and maimed voters who were not out to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
While three people were suspected to have been killed in different parts of the state, including 68-year-old man, who was allegedly killed at a Somolu polling unit, hundreds of others, including celebrities, were brutalised, with their properties destroyed, before they were prevented from voting.
An unidentified suspected hoodlum was also feared killed by a security agent after he allegedly snatched ballot papers at Startime Estate, Jamtok, Ago Palace Way.