SAT, MARCH 09 2019-theG&BJournal-Even before today, the electorate had sent a very laughable message to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The message which trended on social media shortly after the presidential election of February 23 2019, read simply; ‘’INEC, can we have the result of next Saturday’s election today? Let’s not waste more lives and money.’’
INEC ignored the appeal. Today, at the poll for the governorship and state Houses of Assembly election, the electorate answered INEC’s calls to vote with a deafening silence, an apathy that left the political elites and watchers dumbfounded.
‘’The public has simply lost faith in INEC,’’ one Nigerian told our reporter in Lagos. ‘’That set the scene for what you are seeing today,’’ he said.
For sure, sensitive issues such as ballot box snatching, violence, the repulsive conduct of the political characters canvassing for votes today and INEC’s error ridden process played a huge part. Allegations of vote-rigging during the presidential election have called into question what could have been a historic moment for Nigeria, which has never experienced a free and fair gubernatorial election.
The story was the same across the vast country which boosts of over 190 million people. Voter’s apathy, near empty voting centres and INEC officials looking forlorn and begging for attention.
‘’I urge all who are yet to vote to peacefully do so and defend their vote,’’ the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), twitted after he cast his vote in scantily populated polling booth in Ajiya Ward in Yola North Local Government Area.
Similar appeal was echoed around the country by the main political actors in the game today. But from North to south to west and east, Nigerians stayed back at home. Supporters of the main political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP called the election a ‘’sham,’’ even before the results are seen, cooked up by INEC. Many don’t believe anymore that their vote means anything to the politicians.
‘’They already have shared the results among themselves,’’ according to a number of voters theG&BJournal spoke to, most who were just loitering around or busy playing soccer near the polling booths.
According to them, ‘’everyone wanted a free and fair election. We don’t have that right now and the people in charge don’t have the same interest and we don’t believe that will happen soon. So this is our way to let them know that we’ve had enough.’’
|twitter:@theGBJournal|email: info@govandbusinessjournal.com.ng|
