By Lekan Adejuwon
Scores of security operatives despatched to monitor the February 25, 2023 presidential and National Assembly election in Ekiti State were virtually on holiday as the exercise witnessed an unprecedented peace devoid of any violence across the 16 local government areas of the state.
Reports collated by our correspondents from the three senatorial districts revealed that the election was conducted in an atmosphere of serenity as the Independent National Electoral Commission ensured that it delivered on its promise to give Nigerians a free fair and credible election.
However, the election was marred by voters apathy as many poling units recorded low voters turn out across board when compared with the June 16 2022 governorship election.
This is against the backdrop of the expected large voting population with the increase in the number of PVCs collection.
A number of factors had been adduced for this development but it is generally believed that the new CBN’s naira redesign policy had in no small way discouraged vote buying by politicians and the willing buyers as many would be voters shun going to cast their votes.
Similarly, the biting cashless policy did incalculable damage to the psyche of many residents who preferred to stay indoors while voting was going on in many units.
Again, many voters were inadvertently disenfranchised and unable to locate their poling centers on election day as the INEC was reported to have created new poling units but the information was not adequately passed to the public.
In all, the last Saturday’s poll was generally peaceful in Ekiti State and a pointer to this was that Ekiti election result was the first to be declared by the INEC
