El-Rufai Decries Voter Intimidation, Low Voter Turnout

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has decried voter intimidation in Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections in the southern part of the state.

He also lamented the low turnout of voters across the state.

The governor said although the election was generally peaceful across the state, he received reports of voter intimidation in Southern Kaduna.

Speaking in an interview with journalists shortly after casting his vote, El-Rufai commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for improving on the election process.

“Generally speaking, the process has been peaceful and smooth except in a few places in Southern Kaduna where we got a report of voter intimidation.

“People are being asked to vote for one party or go back home,” he said.

The governor said security agencies were on top of the situation.

“We anticipated some level of violence but by the grace of God, there was no report because security was put in place in response to that intelligence,” he added.

He said the All Progressives Congress (APC) was optimistic of a positive outcome of the election.

Also speaking in an interview after casting his vote at his LEA Kawo pulling unit, the APC governorship candidate, Senator Uba Sani, alleged that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was conniving with INEC officials to intimidate voters and thumb print ballot papers.

According to Sani, voters in Zaria and Kajuru were being intimidated while ballot papers were being thumb printed.

Many residents of Kaduna metropolis did not turn come out to vote.

In places like Barnawa, Sabon Tasha, Narayi, Kakuri, Kigo Road, Angwan Sarki, Anguwan Megero, among several places, voter turnout was low.