By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for early commencement of the voting process in the state.

Soludo gave the commendation shortly after casting his vote at Polling Unit 002 Ovuiyi Umueze, Isuofia, Aguata Council Area of the state at 11:30 am

He said: "From the information available to me, I have sampled views across the state and it seems to be going on fairly well in terms of deployment of logistics and early commencement of election.

"I think there is a great improvement compared to the previous election in terms of the arrival and deployment of materials. It seems to be going on well, relatively peaceful."

While expressing optimism that the will of the people will prevail, the Governor said that the turn out of voters is low compared to the previous election.

He urged Anambra people to come out and exercise their civic obligations by voting, saying that anyone who is in the queue before 2:00 pm, will be allowed to vote.

"Your vote will count. We expect the finishing; collation and announcement of results to end with a flourish", Soludo stated.

The Anambra Governor's call came amidst an abysmal turnout of voters.

The current turn out of voters is a far cry from that of the February 25 presidential and national Assembly elections which recorded a massive turn out of voters. .

Polling centres visited in Awka, the State capital, showed near empty units as staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC sat idly.

At Mbala Ezi Obinagu polling unit in Awka South Local Government Area that has above one thousand voters, only about fifteen eligible voters were seen lining up to cast their vote at about 9am.

INEC staff members who came on time to attend to voters were this time left to sit under the sun with no canopies provided for them as was done during the presidential election.

At Aroma junction 1, polling unit 008, Awka South Local Government Area, at at 9:20pm, only six persons have been able to vote, despite the commencement of voting at 8:30am, and the swiftness of the BVAS machines.

Speaking to our correspondent, Mrs Chika Ndu, said: “People are not coming out because they feel their votes may not count because of what happened last three weeks.

“It will take a level of enlightenment for people to accept to come out, because they believe their votes will not count.

“I cannot believe that this same place where I found it difficult to cast my vote last three weeks, I can just come in and in less than three minutes, I had cast my vote.”

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