Gov Election 2023: Low voter turnout hurts voting in Ikorodu, Lagos

The PUNCH says that in some polling places in the Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local Council Development Area in Ikorodu, Lagos State, not enough people showed up to vote.

At the polling places in Igbogbo I and II that our reporter went to, election workers were waiting for people to show up to vote.

Independent National Electoral Commission workers were waiting for people to vote at polling unit 023, Ward C2, Agunfoye, when our reporter went there at 11:48 a.m.

The Polling Officer at the unit told The PUNCH that 180 eligible voters were expected to be there, but as of the visit, not even half of the expected eligible voters had shown up.

At polling unit 033, Ward C2, where our reporter went at 12:42 p.m., the same thing was going on.

At the time of our visit, only 69 of the 377 registered voters at the unit had already voted.

One of the party agents at the unit, who asked not to be named, said that the low turnout was because the unit had moved. He said that the Akinwumi Ambode-led government in the state tore down a lot of homes, which caused a lot of people to move out of the area and hurt the turnout.

A lot of the 750 registered voters at polling unit 010 in Ward C2 did not show up to vote.

Low voter turnout was also seen at polling units 002, 003, and 010, Igbogbo I, Methodist Primary School, as well as polling unit 005, Igbogbo I, at the Adegboruwa Palace, Igbogbo, on Saturday afternoon.

Even though some people had already voted, poll workers were still waiting for more people to show up.

Agents for different parties and some voters were seen waiting around at different polling places.

Officials from INEC who spoke with The PUNCH at the polling stations said that sorting would begin as planned if there were no more voters at the end of voting at 2:30pm.

(Punch)