The Borno Central Senatorial District bye election held on Saturday recorded low turn out in a contest between the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Baba Kaka Garbai and Kaka Umar Bolori of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

At various polling units in Jere and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC, where the bye election held,  the contest was keen with the likely winner predicted to manage only a narrow lead.

The results from the designated Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camps in Konduga, Bama, Mafa, Dikwa, Ngala, and Kala Balge Were still being awaited at the time of filing this report.

An eye witness reports that the Maiduguri Metropolis and some parts of Dalori village near Konduga town recorded voter apathy while only few polling units in IDP camps recorded an impressive turn out.

A political analyst, Abubakar Haruna who spoke to journalists, blamed the low turnout on voters “lack of interest in the election”.

He observed that “residents do not attach too much interest to any election like that of presidential and gubernatorial elections”.

In his reaction, the APC candidate Garbai said the turnout was very encouraging, stressing that “there was interest in democracy with young men and women and also elders coming out massively to vote”.

On the security situation of the elections, he further noted that the “people turned out in an atmosphere of peace”, adding that “no security challenges” we’re witnessed during the process in the eight local governments of the senatorial district.

For the PDP candidate, Bolori said that “the turnout was very impressive” but alleged intimidation of the people during the election.

He equally noted that many of his agents “were arrested and taken away by the police” for no reason.