Enugu local government elections holding today across the 17 local government areas in the state have been peaceful so far in some polling units monitored by PACESETTER.
The election which is to elect local council chairmen and councillors haven’t witnessed any report of chaos in the PDP led state.
Our correspondent who spoke to some voters over the phone confirmed that while the exercise has been violence free, security operatives were seen monitoring voting.
According to some photos made public by the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Dan Ndukwe, the state Commissioner for Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu was seen discussing with voters and officials of the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission, ENSIEC during his surveillance and monitoring of polling units in the state.
Speaking to PACESETTER, a voter, Nnaemeka Jonathan Chukwu noted that while the exercise was peaceful, there was voter apathy in some polling units.
“My name is Nnaemeka Jonathan Chukwu, of Ugbawka Ward 2 in Nkanu East LGA. My polling unit is Amauzam Ugbawka.
“I have left the place [polling unit] but it was peaceful, while I was there, even though there was apparent voter apathy in some other polling unit when I moved around my area. Moreover I’m listening to the radio and there’s widespread complaints.
“At the moment, the elections have been relatively peaceful, with no incident of violence reported so far. We pray it ends like this”, Chukwu said.
Another Enugu citizen had something different to say about voter turnout.
“Samson Chukwunweike Ugwu is my name, from Ibagwa/Edem Ward, Enugu East LGA.
“There was massive turnout. Election materials arrived earlier. As at 12:00pm when I voted, many electorates have exercised their franchise. It was peaceful, credible, free and fair”.
Accredited Independent observer, Chukwuma Ephraim Okenwa of LEAD Network who spoke to PACESETTER also noted that there was low turnout of voters.
“The essence of LGA elections is for local impact. One would have expected Ndi Enugu to turn out well but it was low, possibly because ENSIEC didn’t start its orientation early.
“I monitored three local governments, Enugu East, Enugu North and Enugu South. In Okpara square for instance, the turnout was a far cry from what was witnessed during the 2023 elections there.
“There was also late dispatch of materials in Enugu North. However, the exercise was generally peaceful. There was no injury to, or harming anyone”, he said.
The election which was boycotted by the All Progressives Congress in the state survived an attempt by the party to halt it using the court.
Ruling on the oral application moved by counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Michael Aondoakaa, SAN, seeking to stop the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) from conducting Saturday’s local government elections in the state, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, held that stopping the election would not serve the interests of justice.
The judge said that, based on Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution, restraining the electoral body from going ahead with the Sept. 21 poll would violate the principle of fair hearing.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the FHC had recently refused to grant an ex-parte motion to stop the Enugu state local government elections.
Mr Nwite, instead, granted an accelerated hearing of the matter and ordered substituted service of the court documents on the defendants, along with an order for abridgement of time.
However, the matter was transferred back to the chief judge, Justice John Tsoho, before being reassigned to Mr Lifu for adjudication.
Other political parties participating in the election are the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the Labour Party, LP.