Heavy security presence across wards and units where the bye-election held in Burutu and Ethiope West council areas of Delta State on Saturday ensured a relatively peaceful exercise, NewMailNG reports.
Voter apathy was, however, observed at some of the polling units.
In Burutu Local Government Area, where the rerun is for the seat of the Delta House of Assembly Constituency I, accreditation began around 9 a.m. while voting commenced before 10 a.m. at Ayakoromor Unit 8, Enekorogha Unit 26, Edegbene Unit 27, and Oboro Unit 29.
The process was closely monitored by observers and party agents.
The major contenders are the All Progressive Congress’ (APC) Alapala Ebitonmo and the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) Asupa Forteta.
Results from all four polling units in the Burutu Constituency 1 rerun suggest that the APC’s candidate, Alapala may have won the election.
Results from Ayakoromo state that APC scored 156 while PDP got 102 at Oboro. APC got 49, while PDP scored 8 at Enekorogga APC got 69, while PDP got 25 votes, and at Edegbene, the APC candidate got 158, while his PDP counterpart scored 65 votes.
The outcome of the results at the units was greeted with wild jubilation by electorates.
The election for the Ethiope-West constituency seat was marred by a low turnout of the electorate.
At Oghara, Mosogar and Jesse communities, where the election was held, workers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were on the ground early.
According to the Electoral Officer, Beauty Ibiama, sensitive election materials were distributed to the various polling stations as early as 6 a.m., while voting commenced by 8:30 a.m.
Noting that the process was hitch-free, she said INEC covered five wards, including Mosogar I and II, Jesse V, and Oghara I and II in the ongoing rerun election.
A House of Representatives member, Hon. Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, while lamenting the low turnout, blamed it on not enough sensitization of the election.
However, she thanked those who came out for the exercise and urged them to wait until the election results are duly announced by the electoral umpire.
Chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) who hails from Jesse, Hon John Nani, remarked that the exercise was peaceful, adding that the candidates were family and the people only had to vote for their choice.
Other community leaders, Chief Ighoyota Amori of Mosogar and chairman of Ethiope West, Oghenedoro Owoso, who spoke on the sidelines, described the exercise as peaceful and smooth, as they commended INEC for a good job.
