Heavy security, low turn out in Buhari’s polling unit

   Unlike in the March 28 presidential elections, today’s governorship and state assemblies election in Daura was characterised by heavy security and low turn out of prospective voters and journalists.    Today, the president-elect was brought to the Sarkin Yara A (003) polling unit in a security convoy comprising of operatives of the Department of […]

 

 Unlike in the March 28 presidential elections, today’s governorship and state assemblies election in Daura was characterised by heavy security and low turn out of prospective voters and journalists.

 

 Today, the president-elect was brought to the Sarkin Yara A (003) polling unit in a security convoy comprising of operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), military, police, civil defence corp and anti-bomb squads.

The president-elect’s convoy comprises of about seven SUVs, three Hillux vans, anti-bomb van, among others.

 

But the turn out of voters was very low compared to the presidential poll. Even the number of spectators that trooped out to catch the glimpse of Buhari was less, compared to the last poll.

 

Also, even the media presence was very low compared to those that covered the presidential poll. 

 

On March 28, over 50 journalists trooped to Daura to cover the then APC presidential candidate,about 10 of them  foreign journalists.

 

Our reporter observed that there was no single foreign journalist in Daura for today’s poll. There are dozens of local journalist.

 

Only Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) came to the president-elect’s polling unit to broadcast the voting process live unlike in the presidential election where over 10 local and foreign media organisations televised the election live.

 

NTA had stationed its Outside Broadcast van to cover the president-elect today though it was not there two weeks ago.

 

NTA was the only broadcast station on ground today.

 

Other security agencies have since deployed its officers for the president-elect’s protection.

 

This reporter learnt that the Nigerian Civil Defence and Security  Corps (NCDSC) headquarters in Abuja had deployed its ‘special squad’  to Daura for the guber poll.

 

Also, the NTA last night did a special coverage of the president-elect’s Juma’at prayer. 

 

It was also observed that there has been constant electricity supply to Daura town since the president-elect arrived last Thursday.

 

This reporter observed that during the presidential poll two weeks ago, the electricity supply was  epileptic.