"No election held here," said the disappointed voter, who also couldn't vote in the original election due to violence. "No one would have thought that despite the presence of policemen, such an act could happen. Maybe the policemen should be withdrawn so we know we have no protection."
Political thugs have set ablaze all the election materials that should have been used for supplementary elections in Azendeshi Ward, Chito, Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.
A voter told SaharaReporters on phone that the materials had been kept inside a public primary school in the area but thugs gained access and set them ablaze despite the provision of security agents.
"No election held here," said the disappointed voter, who also couldn't vote in the original election due to violence. "No one would have thought that despite the presence of policemen, such an act could happen. Maybe the policement should be withdrawn so we know we have no protection."
However, Nentawe Yilwatda, INEC's Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, said the thugs attacked the electoral officials on their way to Chito Adzendechi Council Ward, burning electoral materials in the process.
Apart from Chito town, which is the headquarters of Azendeshi Ward and has a voting population of 13,000, elections are ongoing in 22 of the 23 local government areas where the supplementary exercise was scheduled to hold.
There have been similar reports of violence and disruption of voting in the five states where supplementary governorship elections are holding, particularly in Kano.