By Magnus Effiong, Ogoja/Ita Williams,Akpabuyo
The by-elections into the vacant House of Representatives seat for Ogoja/Yala federal constituency and that of Akpabuyo State constituency recorded massive turn out of voters in polling units monitored by our reporters
In Ogoja, election materials arrived early in poling unit 005, St Michael Primary school, Ibil-Nkum, PU 008, Customary Court Nkim Ishi-Aya, and PU 002 in Nkum Iborr. The Bi-modal Voter Accreditation (BIVA) machines functioned perfectly.
The same was observed in St Joseph Primary school, Okuku II, Yala local government area which accomodated seven polling units.
A long queue of voters were observed waiting patiently to cast their vote as at the time of this report in those polling units and many other polling units in the two local government areas.
In an interview shortly after casting his vote, the Senior Special Adviser to Gov Ben Ayade on Political Affairs, and chieftain of the APC, Chief Peter Ojie, said he was happy that the exercise was peacful and hitch free as no complain whatsoever has been reported.
Ojie also expressed happiness over the massive turn out of voters to participate in the exercise, and believed that before the close of voting, more people could have voted.
In Akpabuyo, the scenario was the same as huge number of electorates trooped into their respective poling units even before 8.30am, officially fixed for the commencement of polls.
Speaking, the Commissioner for Rural Transformation, Edem Okokon Effiom of Atimbo West Ward, expressed gratitude to the governor and Independent National Electoral Commission for the awareness created for the by-elections.
On his part, the Chairman of Akpabuyo local government Area, Hon Emmanuel Bassey, expressed confidence that his party, the APC, would carry the day in his Idebe poling unit, Ikot. Nakanda
The by-elections were also peaceful in Atimbo West, Atimbo East , Ikot Ndareke, Ikot Nakanda, Ikot Ofiong Amba amongst others.
