In a surprising turn of events, the ruling Labour Party (LP) led by Governor Alex Otti lost the Abia State Local Government elections held on Saturday, which is one of its kind in the history of Nigeria.
The Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) won 15 chairmanship seats while the Young Progressive Party (YPP) secured two seats.
Meanwhile, the ruling party in the State, Labour Party failed to capture any chairmanship positions in the election.
Prof. George Chima, Chairman of the Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) who announced the results urged both winners and losers to embrace sportsmanship.
He praised the security agents and other stakeholders for their roles in maintaining order throughout the election period.
However, logistical issues marred the election day.
Delays in the distribution of electoral materials and the late arrival of officials were reported across polling units.
Also, materials were not distributed to some polling units by the scheduled 7 a.m. start time, and in several locations, voting had yet to begin by 11 a.m.
Polling stations across Umuahia South, Aba North, Aba South, and Osisioma experienced notable absences of electoral materials, officials, and even security personnel.
Some polling units, including those at Avonipupe Primary School and Umuosu Community School, saw low voter turnout and frustrated residents waiting for the process to commence.
Prospective voters voiced disappointment over the poor organization.
Joy Eze, a hairdresser from Umuahia, shared that she returned to her work after waiting for hours.
Another resident, Onyinyechi Ishmael, expressed skepticism, saying her past experiences made her doubt the effectiveness of her vote.
