The local government election conducted on Saturday in Ekiti State witnessed a low turnout as residents and voters shunned the exercise to elect leadership across local councils and the Local Council Development Areas (LCDA).
Tribune Online observed that the election was conducted by the Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) across the 16 LGAs and 19 LCDAs.
It was gathered that only eight political parties participated in the chairmanship positions, while fourteen parties fielded candidates for councilors positions in the state.
However, major opposition parties in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) did not participate in the exercise.
In the majority of polling units in the state, officials of EKSIEC were seen waiting for the voters to turn out for the exercise as many of them stayed in their homes and others went about their businesses.
Although the Police Command announced restriction of movement in and outside the state, shops and recreation centers opened for business activities while motorists also go about their normal daily transportation of passengers.
A voter, who identified himself as Tunde Adeyemo noted that participating in the exercise would amount to waste of time and efforts, saying there was no real opposition to the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).
He explained that local government administrations in the last few years have failed to offer dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.
According to him, the Saturday’s exercise was an affirmation of APC supporters into the council areas, hence his decision to stay away from the exercise.
Speaking after voting in his Ikogosi-Ekiti polling unit 003 , the state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, who lamented the low turnout of voters commended the state electoral commission for the successful conduct of the election across the state.
He explained that election was important for people to elect leaders in their respective domains into the local council areas for them to enjoy governance at the grassroots level.
According to him, “The turnout is a bit low and that tells us that we need to do more about voter education and sensitization but by and large we have fulfilled what the constitution asked us to do.
“It can get better but I am happy that as a government we can do this because the local government is the most critical arm of government in respite to delivering government plans at the grassroots level.
“It is important we democratize government at that level because it is the closest to the people and the beauty of democracy is to have representatives at that level being elected by the people and we are happy we have done that in Ekiti, knowing full well we are just one year in office.”
On his part, the APC chairmanship candidate for Ajoni LCDA, Micheal Ogungbemi, who spoke with newsmen after voting in his Iyemero-Ekiti polling unit, said the impressive performance of the governor has made people have more confidence in governance.
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