Violence, machine snatching rock LG election in Kaduna

Chairman, Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission Saratu Audu-Dikko has said hoodlums snatched no fewer than 41 electronic voting machines during the local government election on Saturday.

In Giwa and Igabi local government areas of the state, hoodlums vandalised no fewer than 11 electronic voting machines during the council polls.

Audu-Dikko said electoral officers were assaulted by the hoodlums who carted away some election materials.

“Thirty EVMs were carted away at Kwarau in Igabi local government, with two destroyed, while nine others at Panhauya in Giwa local government, were equally vandalised,” she said.

“The hoodlums also carted away election materials and assaulted the driver and staff of the commission conveying the materials.”

The chairman also stated that some other staff of the commission, including ad-hoc staff, were also assaulted in the aforementioned areas.

Violence became another minus for the election, following voter apathy that saw low turnouts in many polling units.

Gov Nasir El-Rufai expressed concern over the low turnout of voters during the election, attributing it to the late arrival of some of the election materials.

But he admitted the improvement electronic voting nrought to the 2021 elections.