Yesterday’s local government councils’ polls in Plateau state witnessed a massive turnout of voters just as the exercise proceeded peacefully throughout the 15 local government areas of the state where the elections held.
Blueprint reports that indications of hitch-free polls showed very early in the day as residents responded dutifully to the official order that outlawed the movement of people from dawn to dusk, and the heavy deployment of security personnel across strategic locations of the state.
Security patrol was also intensive in most parts of Plateau North Senatorial district, especially around notorious flash points of crises in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Jos South LGAs which were feared to be vulnerable and susceptible to breakdown of law and order.
Screening and accreditation of voters started in most polling booths monitored in Jos South, Riyom, and Barkin Ladi early between 8 and 9am, as voters lined up orderly in the different polling Units to perform a basic civic responsibility.
In Gyel B ward in Nyango Gyel in Jos South local government area, accreditation started in the COCIN Church and Sarkin Angwar polling units as early as 8.45am immediately electoral officers arrived with security men to commence the exercise.
Governor Jonah Jang, who arrived at his Du home polling unit at about 1.11pm, and cast his vote at about 1.25pm, expressed happiness with the massive turnout of voters.
He emphasised the determination of his administration to restore democratic structures at the grassroots level as soon as possible.
At the Government Secondary School, Kuru, with two polling units, voters were in orderly queues to cast their votes after accreditation at about 2.31pm when our reporter arrived at the scene.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edward Pwajok, who had voted at the same polling center, likened the massive turnout and voter participation to the Court victory the state government and the
PDP secured last Friday when the opposition APC failed to stop the elections from holding through court injunction.
