Some eligible voters in Lagos State may shun the March 9, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections due to fear of attack by thugs.
A cross section of traders at the popular Lagos market, Alaba International, said yesterday that following the attack on some of their members during the February 23 presidential and national assembly elections, they were not likely to participate in Saturday’s elections.
spokesman of F line in the market, Mr Chima Achike, said though majority of them were eligible voters, they would not, however, want to risk their lives for any election. “Our people were attacked in the last election for expressing their rights to vote for a candidate of their choice by political thugs who perceived that they were voting against their own choice candidates and party.
“Instead of going out to vote on Saturday, our members that I spoke with have expressed indifference about it, citing the Feb. 23 incident as reason,’’ he said.
The traders’ spokesman, who condemned election violence and voter apathy, however, said that there was no general circular from the market leaders and associations for people to stay away, but response and opinion of traders were tending towards political apathy.
In his remark, Mr Augustine Chiduele, an electrical equipment merchant, said that one of his relations escaped being lynched by the whiskers during the national polls.
“Although it was strenuous for me to cast my vote during the February 23 election, now that violence has been added to the whole thing, it is no longer fun to vote,’’ Chiduele said.