Hi Folks,
I can bet you have been looking to read my experiences over the past couple of days, especially with the Presidential polls in Nigeria last weekend.
After weeks of strategizing and campaigning election day eventually arrived.
One man I feel most concerned for at this time though, is president Muhammadu Buhari. I can imagine the number of calls, visitors and opinions he is dealing with right now.
The Saturday February 25 elections came with different shades of character, top of which I tag hypocrisy. My polling unit was just around the corner of the Lagos state seat of power in Alausa.
INEC came about 30 minutes behind schedule, there were people; young and old scattered around waiting anxiously for the arrival of the electoral conductors.
While waiting for the commencement of the exercise, I read updates from other parts of the country, it seemed peaceful at most locations save for the apprehension where the conductors didn’t show up in good time.
I saw a few party agents, all looking like they want to go to war. I don’t blame them, their principals had warned of how treacherous agents of other parties could be.
The plus of the day was the largely peaceful conduct in most parts of the state. People went about voting peacefully.
On the flip side, I witnessed a case of vote buying by a particular political party. We sent the boys running promptly and became vigilantes for the polling unit.
Quite a number of voters were disenfranchised as they couldn’t locate their new polling units. INEC had created new polling units to prevent congestion in most units for reasons best know to them, one polling unit had just two registered voters 😂.
There was this particular sister, Sis. Bibiana Emenaha who trekked over 4km to get to the polling unit only to find her name missing from the same unit’s register. We found out she had been transferred to a new unit. I volunteered to take her round in search as the new units were within Alausa. Sadly, I had to drive her back to her residence after trying so much. I met a few others in a similar situation, most could not find theirs too.
Such occurrences were avoidable if INEC had been more proactive.
The election went down peacefully in most parts of Nigeria, though there were skirmishes here and there.
The results are gradually being released with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu taking the lead as the opposition cry foul.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has written an open letter to the effect, seeking for a re-run. Nigerians are angry that the collation of result is taking too long.
They are also saying enough of letters from Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. What are your thoughts?
Remember to make someone smile today through your acts of kindness.
Yours,
Ilupeju B