A largely calm voting process has characterised the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election, with residents praising the organisation of the exercise and the conduct of security personnel.
Voters across different polling units in Gombe metropolis said the absence of major disruptions gave them confidence to participate in the election.
The residents spoke separately with the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday, applauding the Independent National Electoral Commission for its preparations and the smooth running of the poll.
For Buhari Ibrahim, the experience was particularly encouraging. The voter, who lives with a disability, said officials treated him fairly and ensured he could participate without feeling disadvantaged.
He also credited the professionalism of electoral and security personnel for helping to maintain peace at the polling unit.
“I did not feel discriminated against at any point. The process has been seamless and peaceful,” Ibrahim said.
Dalhatu Boderi, another voter, similarly described the exercise as successful, saying the atmosphere remained peaceful and orderly.
He also praised young people for their conduct during the election and expressed hope that the peaceful atmosphere would continue into the 2027 general elections.
For some female voters, the peaceful environment also made it easier to participate.
Maryam Salisu, who voted at the Yakub Hassan Polling Unit, said the orderly process encouraged her to come out and exercise her franchise.
She praised INEC and security agencies while calling for similar arrangements during the 2027 elections to encourage greater participation among women.
Zaliha Garba also highlighted the increasing involvement of women in the electoral process.
According to her, women are becoming more conscious of their role in deciding who leads them.
“We realised that women are critical stakeholders in determining who rules us, so we are now embracing the process,” she said.
While voters gave positive accounts of the exercise, INEC identified another concern, the number of people turning up to vote.
Rear Admiral Jamila Mailafa (retd.), the commission’s National Commissioner responsible for the North-East, said she observed relatively low voter turnout at several polling units in Gombe and Bauchi.
Mailafa said that although voting began at 8:30 a.m., only a few voters were present at many of the locations she visited.
She, however, confirmed that electoral officers were performing their duties and the BVAS machines were functioning properly.
“The election process is seamless, the environment is peaceful, people are out in some places but from my observation, there is a low turnout of voters,” she said.
The INEC commissioner suggested that more voters could still arrive as the exercise progressed.
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