Over 3.5 million eligible voters in Katsina State cast their ballots in the Local Government Elections held across the state’s 34 Local Government Areas (LGAs), with high turnout and significant participation from women, youth, and the elderly.
Voting began promptly at 9:05 a.m., as voters made their way to the 6,652 polling units scattered across 361 political wards.
Governor Dikko Radda, his wife Zulaihat, Deputy Governor Faruk Jobe, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and other prominent political figures including former Governors Ibrahim Shema and Aminu Masari, cast their votes in their respective polling units.
Speaking after voting at Kofar Katika Polling Unit in Radda Ward, Charanchi LGA, Governor Radda expressed his satisfaction with the election process, saying, “With the high turnout of voters, this has encouraged me that democracy is a process and has brought us to this maturity.”
Radda also expressed confidence in the victory of the APC, stating, “I believe that at the end of the exercise, with the kind of projects executed since we came on board, APC will come out victorious.”
The Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KTSIEC) oversaw the distribution of sensitive election materials earlier this week, ensuring a smooth operation.
The commission, led by Alhaji Lawal Alhassan Faskari, emphasized the safety of materials and personnel, noting, “Adequate arrangements have been made by the commission and other security agencies to transport the items to their respective destinations intact and safely.”
Despite the optimism, only five political parties are participating in the election, including the APC, Accord Party, AAC, ADC, and Booth Party. The opposition PDP, among others, opted out of the race for reasons unknown.
In preparation for the election, the Katsina Police Command announced a movement restriction across the 34 LGAs from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Commissioner of Police Aliyu Abubakar Musa urging residents to comply for a peaceful and secure voting process.
He reassured voters, saying, “Adequate security arrangements have been made to enforce the restrictions and ensure the safety of all voters and election officials.”
With over 20,000 ad-hoc staff deployed, the election proceeded smoothly, marking another step toward the growth of democracy in Katsina.
