COLLATION OF RESULTS BEGINS IN KATSINA LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS 16-02-25
By Sadiq Aminu The Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission has begun the collation of results at ward level, upon conclusion of voting in the local government council elections across the 34 local government areas of the state.
Voters from the 361 wards of the state trooped to their various polling units to cast their votes for chairmanship and councillorship candidates of their choice.
Voting was held between seven in the morning to half past twelve in the afternoon in the twenty thousand polling units across the state with
A moderate turnout of voters was witnessed in most polling units as security agents were seen manning the polling centers as voters joined queues to cast their votes.
The representative of one of the observer groups that monitored the election, Prof. Sani Lawal Malumfashi, described the election as free and fair.
He commended the state Independent Electoral Commission for carrying stakeholders along at every stage of the election and for providing a level playing field for the political parties that fielded candidates for the election.
“The Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission has given the political parties an equal chance to participate in the process and five parties have participated.
“The commission also engaged and trained 20,000 ad hoc staff to man the election and all stakeholders were kept abreast of happenings right from the preparation stage.
“Sensitive and non-sensitive election materials arrived the polling units in good time and the voting has been peaceful in all the polling units I visited”, Malumfashi said.
Meanwhile, Governor Dikko Umar Radda who cast his vote at Polling Unit zero-ten in Radda ward, Charanchi Local Government Area, described the election as peaceful and orderly.
While describing the turnout as impressive, the Governor commended the state Independent Electoral Commission for organizing a credible election by providing a level playing field for all political parties that participated in the exercise.
“The impressive turnout and orderly behaviour of voters at this polling unit demonstrates that our democracy has attained a stage of maturity.
“Leaders who will emerge from this election will truly represent the will of the people, because the State Independent Electoral Commission has made the electoral process free and fair.
“The arrangement made by SIEC, our security agencies and the observers on ground will ensure that the civic rights of voters are not tampered with,” Governor Radda said.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to respect the Supreme Court’s ruling on financial autonomy for local governments and to support the local governments in the state to deliver the dividends of democracy to their people.