Saturday’s governorship and state assembly supplementary elections in Abia witnessed an appreciable turnout of voters in Umuahia and its environs.

The exercise commenced around 8.30 a.m. with the arrival of electoral officers and materials at some of the polling centres in the area.

Accreditation of voters started at about 9 a.m. at units 006 and 007 Ibeku East, situated at Isieke Community Primary School, Umuahia, while the exercise commenced at about 8.30 at units 004 and 005 at Lagoro Ubakala Primary School, Apunmiri.

Card readers were deployed in the accreditation process and were reportedly functional, taking an average of two to three minutes to accredit a voter.

Some of the voters expressed satisfaction with the process of accreditation, describing it as faster than in the general elections.

There were, however, reports of pockets of violence in some of the wards, including Mbom in Umuahia North Local Government Area, where thugs allegedly attacked eligible voters.

An agent of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Mr Obinna Abariukwu, told NAN on telephone that thugs invaded Isieke ward.

He said that an unidentified voter, who was wounded by the thugs, had been rushed to a hospital through the intervention of the security agents at the centre.

The police could not be reached for confirmation as the Commissioner, Mr Joshak Habila, and the Abia command’s spokesman, Mr Ezekiel Onyeke, did not pick their calls.

Meanwhile, voting commenced at some of the polling centres, including Lagoro Ubakala and LA Umuosu Ubakala at about 1.15 p.m. and 1.45 p.m., respectively.

There was also heavy presence of security men at the polling centres.