Ganduje, Kwankwaso laud turnout, peaceful conduct in Kano

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state and his predecessor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have applauded large turnout of electorates in Kano state.

The duo spoke separately to reporters after they cast their ballots in Ganduje and Kwankwaso villages of Madobi and Dawakin Tofa area councils of Kano state respectively.

There was a delay in the commencement in several parts of the densely populated Kano metropolis in Kano state earlier in the day.

As at 9. 30 a.m, thousands of prospective voters who trooped out of their houses were yet to perform their civic responsibility in several polling units within the Kano metropolis.

One of the prospective voters simply identified as Malam Muktari expressed disappointment that the independent national electoral commission (INEC) failed to live up to its promises to adhere to the 8 am fixed for the commencement of the voting process.

“I left my House as early as 6 am to come and vote. You can see for yourself that we have not started yet. This was not what they told us,” he told The Guardian.

However, Ganduje, who expressed satisfaction with the orderly manner at which voters conducted themselves in the state, remarked that the security situation in Kano state remains calm and peaceful.

The Governor satisfaction came barely 48 hours after a bloody clash between supporter’s of his ruling All progressive Congress (APC) and those of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) left five persons dead and many severely injured.

“You can see we are at peace in the state. The voting materials are in place, all the INEC officers are on ground, everybody is voting and this is democracy in action. The policy of vote and leave has helped immensely as there won’t be room,” Ganduje said.

Ganduje, however, said he was unaware of the delay in the commencement of the voting process within the kano metropolitan councils of Nasarawa, Kano Municipal, Gwale, Fagge, Tarauni, and Kumbotso.

Kwankwaso who spoke at about 2.30 p.m after casting his ballot amidst a rousing reception particularly praised the electorates for coming out to vote their preferred candidates at the poll.

The former Kano State governor, who is the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, expressed optimism that his supporters would vote for PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and all other candidates of the party vying for National Assembly seats.

Kwankwaso was confident that his supporters would not only monitor the conduct of the poll but would ensure that their votes would count.

He added that the delay in the commencement of voting exercise in the metropolitan councils was not unusual in view of the populous nature of the state.

Kwankwaso lauded the police and other security agencies for their timely intervention to keep the peace in Kano state during the clash between his supporters and those of the APC

He urged security agents to do more in curtailing hints of acts of thuggery and violence already brewing in Dankadai, Dawakin Tofa and Bebeji local councils of Kano state.