Notwithstanding banditry, Katsina residents are patriotic and eager to cast ballots in the 2023 election.

Several Katsina State residents, particularly those who have experienced banditry, have voiced their enthusiasm and tenacity to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice in the next election.

Remember that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) evaluated 242 polling places spread over 10 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and gave warnings that the election would not take place owing to banditry in these regions.

Husseni Jaafar, the Director of the Department of Electoral Operation for the Commission in the state, recently revealed that about 142,261 registered voters in the 10 LGAs would be impacted, forcing their transfer so they may cast their ballots.

Ibrahim Rodi, a resident of Shimfida village in Jibia, one of the state’s front-line LGAs, told me that they are prepared to abide by the government’s orders to go somewhere so they may exercise their franchise.

We have four voting places in Shimfida, but plans have been made to shift us to Gurbi, which is nearer to the city, where we will all cast our ballots. They said that INEC officials are unable to access Shimfida but told us that they will send cars on election day to get us there.

Because we were evicted from our houses and did not farm last year, finding food to eat is our biggest issue. To get by through the struggle, we simply chop and sell firewood and eat few fruits. Government assistance with food should be provided.

The election will only be held in the Batsari and Wagimi districts of the Batsari LGA, according to a second source who asked to remain anonymous. They said that the remaining wards in the region are inaccessible owing to the possibility of insecurity.

In his words, “INEC will provide ballots to every ward in the Batsari district districts, as well as in the Wagimi district. Yet, since their wards are inaccessible, there are also provisions for displaced persons to cast their ballots.

“It is obvious that INEC cannot conduct elections in all the wards and polling units in Batsari LGA, because there are some areas where bandits are in charge, and I also believe that not all the displaced people will be interested in exercising their right to vote in the Wagimi districts, except for die hard party members because of the hardship they are experiencing,” he said in his conclusion.

In the meanwhile, attempts to get the administration to respond to the readiness of the electorates in the front-line LGAs were unsuccessful. Findings, however, showed that it is up to the council chairmen to offer the necessary mechanisms.

Also, it has been seen that security is being stepped up in the affected districts to safeguard the welfare of the populace. Moreover, cars must be built to transport voters to the new polling places.

Miniechat

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