Gov. Shettima calls on Maiduguri residents to come out and vote, express appreciation with election process

News Agency Of Nigeria

February 23, 2019 3:51 PM

Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has called on residents of Maiduguri not to be deterred by the early morning explosion, but should come out and vote in the election.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state casts his vote

Shetima told newsmen shortly after he cast his vote at Lamusula Ward of Maiduguri, that the people needed to defy the insurgents threat and participate massively in the election.

I call on people to come out and vote despite the early morning scare.

We must defy the Boko Haram insurgents threat and show them that they are defeated.

They attempt to scare, make people afraid so as to prevent them from exercising their franchise, but we are resolute and will triumph over them, he said.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state casts his vote1 Pulse Nigeria

Shettima, who expressed satisfaction with high turnout of voters in some of the polling units visited in Maiduguri metropolis, described the exercise as impressive.

He commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the arrangement of the election.

I received reports of delay in the commencement of the exercise in some areas, but that is expected in developing democracy; the exercise recorded significant improvement.

Commenting on voting exercise for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Shettima said that the state government, in collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), set up camps, to enable the IDPs participate in the election.

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state casts his vote3 Pulse Nigeria

Shettima disclosed that about 75, 000 displaced persons, hitherto taking refuge in Niger Republic, returned to the country and settled at MOGOLIS and Yerwa IDPs camps in Maiduguri, while over 50 others in Cameroon were settled at Gamboru for the election.

The governor called on people to observe orderliness and peaceful conduct of during the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had captured 409, 833 IDPs of the over 2.3 million registered voters in the state.

The IDPs from eight local government areas of the state are expected to vote in designated polling units set up in camps in Maiduguri and other communities in the state.