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The community of Akabuka saw a notably low voter turnout during the local council elections in Rivers State, with many young people opting to spend their time at a nearby betting establishment rather than cast their ballots.
The scene in Akabuka painted a clear picture of a populace grappling with economic hardship, with the betting shop serving as a central hub for activity. According to a resident, Jackson Hopeson, the decision was a matter of priorities.
“We are here for two reasons,” Hopeson explained. “We are here to play a game and also to charge our phones due to the power outage for a few days now in the region. We came here to play games to make money due to the economic situation of the country. I think money is more important than voting for now; that’s my personal reason.”
The sentiment highlights a growing disconnect between the political process, the electoral umpire and the daily struggles of citizens, for whom immediate economic concerns and access to basic amenities like electricity outweigh their participation in the democratic process.
Low voter turnout and late arrival of election materials on Saturday delayed the commencement of the local government council elections in several LGs.
Our reporters monitoring the exercise reports that as at 9:48 a.m., election materials were yet to arrive at several polling units in the ward.
