By Ghazali Ibrahim
Voting in Saturday’s State House of Assembly by-elections in Kano Municipal and Ungogo Local Government Areas got underway under calm but noticeably low voter turnout, with many polling units seeing only a few residents casting ballots in the early hours.
The by-elections, organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fill two vacant seats in the Kano State House of Assembly, were expected to draw voters across the crowded constituencies.
However, observers and electoral officials reported that, despite INEC staff and security personnel arriving on time, only a handful of voters appeared at many polling stations by mid-morning.
At several units in Ungogo Local Government Area, electoral officers were seen waiting patiently with voter accreditation equipment as turnout remained slow.
At one polling unit, officials said that only two people had voted by 11:04 a.m., a sharp contrast to expectations for a more active turnout.
In some areas of the state capital, residents noted a significant lack of participation, with local voices pointing to voter apathy and limited awareness of the by-election’s importance as contributing factors.
The elections are taking place in an atmosphere where security measures were tightened ahead of the vote, including movement restrictions aimed at ensuring a peaceful exercise.
Additionally, some voters expressed surprise or disappointment over the absence of certain parties on the ballots, possibly dampening enthusiasm to turn out in large numbers.
