Voting to determine who will represent the people of Khana Constituency 2 in the State House of Assembly has ended, with attention now on the final collation of results at the collation centre in Bori, the Khana Local Government headquarters.
The bye-election, conducted across 16 polling units in the constituency, recorded generally low voter turnout. However, there was a more visible turnout at the polling unit of the APC candidate compared to other units visited.
In a dramatic development, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials left Polling Unit 13 for the collation centre without counting the votes at the unit.
Notably, two major opposition parties were absent from the ballot papers. The parties listed on the ballot included the Action Alliance (AA), All Progressives Congress (APC), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Channels Television monitored the exercise and observed that the restriction of movement order was largely not complied with, as markets and other small businesses remained open during the voting period.
READ ALSO: Low Voter Turnout Observed In Rivers Bye-Elections
Some voters and candidates expressed satisfaction with the election, saying the process of voting was free, fair, and peaceful.
Earlier, Governor Siminalayi Fubara called on residents of Rivers State to fully participate in the bye-election scheduled for Saturday, February 21.
Fubara, in a statement issued on Friday by his Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi, particularly urged eligible voters in Ahoada East and Khana Local Government Areas to actively take part in the poll.
He described the election as a family affair and called on the people to come out en masse to support the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) contesting the two vacant seats in the State House of Assembly.
The governor also charged residents to remain peaceful and law-abiding throughout the exercise.
“Everybody should be law-abiding and avoid doing anything that will disturb the peace during the exercise. It is actually a family election, and there is no need for rancour and acrimony,” he said.
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