Kano bye-election: Voting underway amid massive voters turn in Dawakin Kudu

Voting has begun in the Dawakin Kudu State Constituency for the Kano State House of Assembly, with residents flocking to polling stations from the early hours of Saturday. At Dawaki Ward, polling units 0021 and 0022, where our correspondent was present, saw voting commence at approximately 8am following the timely arrival of election materials and personnel from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Voters of all ages participated in the process, while security forces were positioned to ensure a peaceful environment.

As of the time of the visit, there were no major incidents threatening the election, with accreditation and voting progressing smoothly. Several voters shared their experiences, expressing satisfaction with the orderly conduct of the election and the security measures in place. Hajara Isuhu, one such voter, stated that she cast her ballot without issue and praised the peaceful atmosphere and security presence.

"We voted peacefully without any disturbance. Security personnel have been patrolling this area since the day before yesterday, so we feel safe."

Muhammad Musa also expressed satisfaction with the election's progress and hoped that the peaceful atmosphere would continue until the polling stations closed. "The election is going as expected. We hope people will continue to cooperate so that it can be completed peacefully, there has been no problem, no shortage of election materials, delay or insufficient security personnel."

However, an unnamed woman declined to vote, citing politicians' failure to meet their campaign promises after taking office. Despite displaying her voter card, she expressed frustration with the elected officials' inability to fulfill their commitments. "You can see my voter card, but I will not vote because I am tired of the way they fail to fulfil their promises to us." She mentioned her intention to observe the election process rather than participate in the voting itself.

Political party representatives were also on-site to monitor the election's integrity. At polling unit 0022, agents from both the Labour Party and the All Progressives Congress (APC) were present, while an APC representative was located at polling unit 0021. Security forces maintained order and worked diligently to ensure voters could exercise their rights without interference.

Voting is continuing peacefully across other polling stations in Dawakin Kudu, with a steady influx of voters arriving to complete their civic duty.