Saturday’s local government elections in Kano state saw a notably low voter turnout, particularly in Kano’s metropolitan areas. Despite anticipation of robust participation, our correspondent reported sparse attendance at polling centres across the city, with delays caused by the late arrival of materials further exacerbating the lack of engagement.
At the History and Culture Bureau polling centre, voting had yet to commence as of 10:44 a.m. due to logistical delays. Similarly, in other parts of the metropolis, voters were noticeably absent, even at centres where materials arrived on time.
There were pockets of activity, however. At Tarauni Primary Health Centre, where voting started promptly, turnout remained modest. Gandun Albasa Special Primary School presented a contrasting scene, where a queue of voters patiently awaited their turn, signalling one of the few hubs of electoral activity.
Despite the low turnout, voters praised the peaceful conduct of the election. “Many anticipated conflict, but thank God it’s peaceful,” remarked one voter. Another, expressing satisfaction, noted that most residents adhered to the movement restrictions imposed for the day.
Tajuddeen Uba, presiding officer at polling unit 002 in Gandun Albasa, confirmed that voting had commenced shortly after 8:00 a.m., describing the process as smooth and orderly.