Voter Apathy May Mar Imo Re-Run

There are strong indications that the governorship and House of Assembly re-run elections may suffer voters’ apathy, Daily Times reveals.

Reports from the affected electoral wards and polling units across the state indicate that voters in the areas are not showing the desired interest to come out and participate in the electoral process.
Daily Times reveals that some of the voters who spoke to our correspondent blame the cancellation on the politicians whom they accused of manipulating the entire exercise.

“What are we coming out again to vote? And after casting our vote’s politicians and INEC officials do whatever they like. It is better for them to just announce the results and declare winners without bordering the poor masses.” says one of the voters.

According to some voters, the last two elections displayed serious level of impunity on the side of politicians and INEC adhoc staff where the snatching of ballot boxes and thuggery were the order of the day. “One would believe that fake policemen were everywhere patrolling unchallenged.They were brandishing guns and shooting sporadically. It was a terrible situation. We need to be careful because whoever wins in the state, there will be no significant change.”
Daily Times recalls that the INEC in Imo state declared inconclusive the governorship and some House of Assembly elections over electoral violence and frauds.The commission had fixed April 25 for the re-run of the inconclusive polls in over 250 polling units across the state.

Meanwhile, the two major political parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been trading words accusing the commission of favouritism.