Several youths in Benin metropolis on Saturday shunned the Edo State local government election, opting to play football instead, as voter apathy and low turnout characterised the exercise across many polling units in the state.
DAILY POST reports that the youths, who are of voting age, said they decided not to participate in the election because they had little interest in the electoral process and believed there was no real political competition.
The election was conducted by the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) to elect chairmen for the 18 local government councils and councillors for the 192 wards.
DAILY POST also observed that, besides the youths, some market women and traders shunned the election and instead went about their businesses.
The youths were seen playing football in Oredo and Egor Local Government Areas of Benin metropolis.
They were playing football on the field of Uselu Secondary School, the voting centre for Polling Units 1 to 10, Ward 8, Egor Local Government Area, while voting was ongoing.
A similar situation was observed in Ward 4 opposite Emokpae Primary School, Mission Road, and along Forestry Street in Ward 12 near the premises of the Edo City Transport Service, where several polling units were located.
The youths mounted goalposts and played football in different groups.
Speaking, one of the players, Samson Osagie, said he was not motivated to participate in the election, describing it as lacking genuine political competition.
According to him, the election had already been decided because the All Progressives Congress (APC)
