Edo Decides: Thugs Are Monitoring The Election-Observer

An election observer covering Oredo Local Government Area of the Edo State, Anne Umoru, has narrated her experience at the polling units she and her group had so far visited.

She said voter turnout was low in Oredo, the local government of the incumbent governor and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki.

“We have visited five polling stations and I can tell you that turnout is low compared to previous elections,” she stated, adding however that they got report of high turnout in other local government areas.

Asked to explain why voters were unwilling to come out and vote in the area, she said her group could not get any useful explaination from those to spoke with.

” There were political thugs around the polling units watching what was going on so I think the people were afraid to say anything to us because of fear that they may be targetted.”

When reminded that the heavy security presence may have been responsible for the low turn out, she countered, saying” I don’t think so. People are coming out in other areas where there is security presence.

“I think it’s more because of the thugs monitoring them. When we tried to speak with them, you see them looking in the direction of the thugs and feeling apprehensive. You will see the tension in them.”