Violence Recorded in Some Polling Units in Kano

Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Voters turned out en masse to exercise their franchise in polling units designated for election across 16 Local Government Areas in Kano state where the supplementary elections for the House of Representatives and state House of Assembly took place. 

Our Correspondent who monitored the exercise observed that election materials arrived at polling units as early as 8am., while the election started at about 8:30am in most polling units. 

The staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission  (INEC) also arrived at their duty post on time as they attended to voters who queued to vote for candidates of their choice. 

The police authorities in the state provided adequate security at polling units and within the areas where elections were held as police and sister security agencies were sighted at strategic locations,  while others were on constant patrol checkmating movements and activities of unpatriotic elements. 

However, there were stories of snatching and destruction of ballot boxes and menace of political thugs in some polling units at Fagge Federal Constituency where candidates of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Labour Party (LP) were contesting the supplementary election. 

It was gathered that at Kurna Gabas polling units 430 and 026 in Fagge, ballot boxes were destroyed by political thugs. 

But at the Kwachiri polling unit in the same Fagge area, the election was going on smoothly, as voters were sighted exercising their franchise. 

The Assistant Inspector General of police in charge of the Kano supplementary election, AIG Ibrahim Sani Kaoje and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the supplementary election, Mr Muhammed Gumel and their teams were sighted moving around parts of the state where the supplementary elections were held, monitoring the exercise. 

The supplementary elections for the Federal House of Representatives was held in the Fagge Federal Constituency and Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, while the state House of Assembly supplementary elections were held in 14 state House of  Assembly Constituencies which include Ajingi, Danbatta, Dawakin Tofa, Gwarzo, Gezawa, Makoda, Takai, Ungogo, Warawa, Gabasawa, Tudun Wada, Gaya, Wudil and Garko. 

INEC is expected to commence collation and announcement of results later in the day.