By Dennis Agbo , Abakaliki

Early results, yesterday, gave indication that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is leading in the council elections conducted in  the 215 wards  of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State despite the stiff opposition  by the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA.

Though the official result has not been pronounced by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission, EBSIEC, the PPA is trailing far behind the ruling PDP is most of the polling centres monitored by our correspondent where open ballot system were used with voters queuing  behind the posters of the candidates.

In a particular polling centre at Ezza-North local government where the total number of accredited voters was 817, PDP got 800 votes while  PPA scored  17. At Ezzilo in Ishielu local government area, PDP cleared most of the votes, same at Izzi, Ikwo and Ebonyi local government areas.

There was however voter apathy in some of the council areas like at Ohaukwu  where the people of Ngbo defied the restriction on movement with  Okwo market opened for business. Along major roads in the state some people  were seen going to the  farm or waiting for buses to get on with their day activities but few vehicles plied the roads till 3pm.

The senator representing Ebonyi north district, Senator Anthony Agbo,  however disagreed that there was voter apathy, maintaining  that there was serious mobilization for the election at the grassroots level. He acknowledged the open ballot system as the best system  which he described as simpler and difficult to rig.

As at 12 42pm, voting materials were however  yet  to arrive at some polling centres like at Nwofe ward where the speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Austin Nwnkwagu,  waited patiently among other voters for electoral officials  to come for accreditation before queuing  to vote.