Apathy, boycott characterise LG polls in Bayelsa

Voter apathy and boycott by the opposition party, All Progressives Congress characterised the local government elections in Bayelsa State on Saturday.

The APC had said that it pulled out of the polls because the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission was constituted of card-carrying members of Peoples Democratic Party, who could not be trusted to conduct credible elections.

A correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria reports that in Yenagoa, Ogbia and Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Areas, markets and shops remained open while the polling stations were deserted.

Residents in Yenagoa shunned the restriction order on movement as commercial tricycle operators and taxis carried on with their business of transporting commuters to their destinations.

However, Rt. Hon. Tonye Esenah, the Speaker of Bayelsa House of Assembly said that there was no voter apathy in Odi where he hails from.

“The issue of voter apathy did not happen here in Odi. I do not know the places you visited but here in Odi where I voted, there was a large turnout in all the three wards in Odi, Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area.

“As of 11:00 a.m. voting ended and counting of votes was going on before I left the polling unit,” Esenah said.

(NAN)