#Guber/AssemblyPolls2019: Fear of voter apathy heightens in Lagos

Some eligible voters in Lagos state may shun the March 9 governorship and state House of Assembly elections due to fear of attack by thugs.

A cross section of traders at the popular Lagos market, Alaba International said on Thursday that following the attack on some of their members during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections, they were not likely to participate in Saturday’s elections.

Chima Achike, spokesman of F Line in the market, said though majority of them were eligible voters, they would not however, want to risk their lives for any election.

“Our people were attacked in the last election for expressing their rights to vote for a candidate of their choice by political thugs who perceived that they were voting against their own choice candidates and party.

“Instead of going out to vote on Saturday, our members that I spoke with have expressed indifference about it, citing the Feb. 23 incident as reason,’’ he said.

The traders’ spokesman, who condemned election violence and voter apathy, however, said that there was no general circular from the market leaders and associations for people to stay away, but response and opinion of traders were tending towards apathy to the elections.

Another trader, Augustine Chiduele, an electrical equipment merchant, said that one of his relations escaped being lynched by the whiskers during the national assembly polls.

“Although, it was strenuous for me to cast my vote during the Feb. 23 election, now that violence has been added to the whole thing, it is no longer fun to vote,’’ Chiduele said.

The commissioner of police in Lagos state, Zubairu Muazu, had assured all ethnic and law abiding social and economic groups in the state of their safety.

Muazu, however, warned those he described as initiators and distributors of fake news to stop causing unnecessary tension, insisting that the command had provided adequate security for all persons in the state.

“Let me re-emphasise that Lagos state is peaceful and Lagosians are peace-loving people. There is no tribe or community under threat in any part of the state. Our patrol and surveillance have been intensified.

“We have reviewed and redoubled our strategies to ensure a peaceful conduct of the governorship and state House of Assembly elections come March 9,” the police boss said.