Nigeria Content Online

Underage voters
came out in full force in Katsina for the second week running. With no
one willing to take the responsibility of dissuading them, many of them
proudly brandished what appeared to be legitimate voter cards.

Umar Bala, who
looked no older than 10, showed off his voting card which declared him
18 years of age and thus eligible to vote. At Sandamu Mati Adult
Education Centre polling unit in Sandamu Local Government in Katsina
State where Master Bala displayed his card, a police sergeant, Tasiu
Ali, upon seeing the press hurriedly got another small child waiting to
be accredited to put his voter’s card in his pocket and leave the area.
All this happened in full view of officials of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, including Friday Ahuazoribe, a National Youth
Service Corps member and INEC’s presiding officer in the area. But
while Mr. Ali, brandishing a tear gas canister, denied aiding and
abetting election criminality, Mr. Ahuazoribe who had initially
declared there were no irregularities at his centre before NEXT
observed the name and picture of a minor included in the voter’s
register before him, confessed the inclusion of minors in the list. He,
however, said he refused to accredit them.

“There are only two
children in the list but when they came, I asked them to go and call
their village chief and that they should bring their birth certificate
to prove they are 18 years. I did not accredit them,” Mr. Ahuazoribe
said. A similar situation was observed at other polling units in the
state. At Yadangammu Bakinrijiya, Gabriel Onoleke, the INEC presiding
officer, also an NYSC member, said, “We’ve had more than 10 (underage
children), and we are still expecting more of them.”

Missing voters

Another widespread
problem was that numerous voters in centres across the state had their
names omitted in the voter’s register. While Mr. Onoleke said he had
discovered two people’s names missing in his unit, Uchenna Nwafor, also
an NYSC member and INEC’s presiding officer in Mallamawa Low Cost
polling unit in Daura Local Government, said at least 110 people did
not have their names on his list.

“There are about
547 people registered here. But as they came for accreditation, we
discovered their names are not in the register. What we are doing is to
compile their names and submit them to INEC for necessary action to be
taken,” Mr. Nwafor said.

Mixed turnout

Assessing the
turnout of voters for the day’s exercise, Mr. Nwafor said it was less
impressive compared to last week’s elections which INEC botched due to
the inadequate supply of election material across the country. However,
there was a noticeable difference at other polling areas in Doka and
other locations in Mashi Local Government Area where crowds, with women
in several places outnumbering the men, queued to cast their votes.

“I am impressed with the determination of the people who came out to
get accredited and to vote,” said Mohammed Buhari, the presidential
flagbearer of the Congress for Progressive Change, after casting his
vote at Kofar Baru polling unit in Sarkin Yara Ward A in Daura Local
Government Area, his hometown. On the discovery of underage voters, the
former head of state blamed INEC officials for their insincerity in
conducting the elections stating: “INEC officials should do their job
as covered by the Electoral Act. Where they find illegal voter’s cards,
they should destroy those cards in front of all observers, the
political parties, the police and everyone.”

Underage voters
came out in full force in Katsina for the second week running. With no
one willing to take the responsibility of dissuading them, many of them
proudly brandished what appeared to be legitimate voter cards.

Umar Bala, who
looked no older than 10, showed off his voting card which declared him
18 years of age and thus eligible to vote. At Sandamu Mati Adult
Education Centre polling unit in Sandamu Local Government in Katsina
State where Master Bala displayed his card, a police sergeant, Tasiu
Ali, upon seeing the press hurriedly got another small child waiting to
be accredited to put his voter’s card in his pocket and leave the area.
All this happened in full view of officials of the Independent National
Electoral Commission, including Friday Ahuazoribe, a National Youth
Service Corps member and INEC’s presiding officer in the area. But
while Mr. Ali, brandishing a tear gas canister, denied aiding and
abetting election criminality, Mr. Ahuazoribe who had initially
declared there were no irregularities at his centre before NEXT
observed the name and picture of a minor included in the voter’s
register before him, confessed the inclusion of minors in the list. He,
however, said he refused to accredit them.

“There are only two
children in the list but when they came, I asked them to go and call
their village chief and that they should bring their birth certificate
to prove they are 18 years. I did not accredit them,” Mr. Ahuazoribe
said. A similar situation was observed at other polling units in the
state. At Yadangammu Bakinrijiya, Gabriel Onoleke, the INEC presiding
officer, also an NYSC member, said, “We’ve had more than 10 (underage
children), and we are still expecting more of them.”

Missing voters

Another widespread
problem was that numerous voters in centres across the state had their
names omitted in the voter’s register. While Mr. Onoleke said he had
discovered two people’s names missing in his unit, Uchenna Nwafor, also
an NYSC member and INEC’s presiding officer in Mallamawa Low Cost
polling unit in Daura Local Government, said at least 110 people did
not have their names on his list.

“There are about
547 people registered here. But as they came for accreditation, we
discovered their names are not in the register. What we are doing is to
compile their names and submit them to INEC for necessary action to be
taken,” Mr. Nwafor said.

Mixed turnout

Assessing the
turnout of voters for the day’s exercise, Mr. Nwafor said it was less
impressive compared to last week’s elections which INEC botched due to
the inadequate supply of election material across the country. However,
there was a noticeable difference at other polling areas in Doka and
other locations in Mashi Local Government Area where crowds, with women
in several places outnumbering the men, queued to cast their votes.

“I am impressed with the determination of the people who came out to
get accredited and to vote,” said Mohammed Buhari, the presidential
flagbearer of the Congress for Progressive Change, after casting his
vote at Kofar Baru polling unit in Sarkin Yara Ward A in Daura Local
Government Area, his hometown. On the discovery of underage voters, the
former head of state blamed INEC officials for their insincerity in
conducting the elections stating: “INEC officials should do their job
as covered by the Electoral Act. Where they find illegal voter’s cards,
they should destroy those cards in front of all observers, the
political parties, the police and everyone.”

Violence yesterday
marred the National Assembly election in Ile-Ife, Osun state, as five
people were murdered in the early hours of the day in a church. The
dead include two aides of Rotimi Makinde, the Action Congress of
Nigeria House of Representatives candidate for the Ife federal
constituency. The other three are the husband of the founder of the
Cherubim and Seraphim Church, identified as Baba Akin, his son Wale and
a worshipper of the church whose name is still unknown.

Security sources
said that suspected thugs invaded the residence of Mr. Makinde around
2.30am and started shooting sporadically. In an attempt to escape from
the assassins’ bullets, the two aides ran into the church where they
were eventually overpowered and shot. Mr. Makinde, who was not at home
when the assailants came, said that the intention of the killer squad
was to eliminate him.

Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, said he had alerted security agents in the state to find the murderers.

The state
commissioner of police, Peter Gana, said that the police had launched
an investigation into the matter, adding that no arrests had been made
yet. In most parts of the state, including Ede, Osogbo, Okuku, Ikirun,
Ilesa, Iragbiji, Iree and Iba, the turnout of voters was relatively
high but not as high as last Saturday. Voting materials arrived at
various destinations at the appropriate time while the accreditation of
voters also started on schedule.

Mr. Aregbesola and
the former governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, commended INEC
and security agents for their efforts in conducting a free and fair
election. The Accord Party’s senatorial candidate for Osun Central
senatorial district, Felix Ogunwale, praised the efforts of Governor
Aregbeesola for ensuring peace in the state. Police spokesperson,
Olugbemileke Taiwo, said a majority of those arrested during
yesterday’s election were those that disobeyed the ‘no movement of
vehicles’ order given by the police.

“Many vehicles and motorcycles were impounded at various police stations across the state,” he said.

The parliamentary
election in Kwara State was a contest father and son. Bukola Saraki’s
party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came face to face with his
father, Olusola Saraki’s Party, the Allied Congress of Nigeria Party
(ACNP). Though the exercise was peaceful in most parts of the state, it
was not without hitches.

The accreditation
process was fast and well coordinated. The governor of the state, Mr
Saraki told the media that the huge turnout of voters was impressive
and also a sign that Nigerians are ready for a change.

Comments on the polls

“I think it is
commendable that despite last week’s disappointment, people still turn
out in this huge numbers to vote. I think it is a good development for
our country,” He said.

Speaking to NEXT
after he voted, a PDP aspirant for the Kwara Central House of
Representatives, Moshood Dele Belgore, ACN governorship candidate said
INEC should be commended.

“I have been very
critical of them, but I will say so far so good. If it continues like
this, I can say that we will probably have the most orderly election
we’ve ever had. So, we are hopeful and the expectation is that it will
continue, but it is too early to conclude what the day is still going
to be like,” he said.

In Omu Aran, several voters complained their names were missing from the register.

Lai Mohammed, the
national spokesperson of ACN, who is an indigene of Oro, told NEXT at
4PM that it was too early to comment on the election.

“We are going to do a comprehensive assessment of the entire election. That is it,” he said.

Three persons were
arrested in possession of Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) materials in Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

NEXT could not
confirm whether the ballot papers were fake or authentic because the
state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Kassim Gaidam said he was yet to
ascertain the authenticity of the seized ballot materials.

“I need to see the material before I can ascertain if the confiscated ballot materials are fake or genuine,” he said.

Head of the army
command in the state, John N. Nwoka told reporters that his men
apprehended a man and two ladies in possession of 500 ballot papers
suspected to belong to INEC for the National Assembly polls.

He said preliminary investigation revealed that none of the three persons arrested were officials of the electoral body.

Mr Nwoka said the culprits will be handed over to the appropriate authorities for further investigations.

The Adamawa State
commissioner of police, Musa Daura, following his tour of polling
centres in the state, said the election was orderly and peaceful.
Underage voters were sighted in some polling units visited.

The National
Assembly election started in most parts of Kaduna by 8.30am but the
exercise was marred by low turnout of voters in some polling units in
Kaduna North and Chikun Local Government Areas.

At Camp Road
polling unit, Kabala Doki ward, where Vice President Namadi Sambo, and
his wife, Amina, voted at about 2.20pm, only 469 of the 1,148 people
that registered at the polling unit were accredited.

A voter, Aisha Audu
told NEXT that the reason for the low turnout was that some people who
registered at the polling centre were not from the ward while some of
them were unable to return to the polling unit to cast their votes
after accreditation.

However, many
voters at many polling stations visited complained of the delay in the
accreditation procedure. They called on the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt the method where voters would be
accredited and vote at the same time.

“Accrediting people and asking them to go home and come back later to vote is very cumbersome and time consuming.

“Most of the voters
could not cast their votes because they couldn’t withstand the scourge
of the sun. Some of them are old to stand up for too long, so they
left,” said another voter, Ahmed Uba.

At some polling
units at Sabo Tasha, in Chikun Lcal Government Area, voters reported
that the absence of INEC officials and voting materials prevented them
from exercising their civic rights.

One of them, Alice
Usman who is a member of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) said
as at 1pm that they were yet to see the officials.

“The situation is
deliberate because you can see that where the PDP has strong hold,
materials are supplied massively in those places. But you can notice
scarcity of election materials in places they know they will lose.”

Too many to handle

At Unugwar Sunday
in Sabo Tasha, it was observed that most of the polling units had over
2,000 registered voters. The same was witnessed in Barnawa and Narayi
areas, both in Chikun Council. But accreditation and voting were done
simultaneously in some other areas in Sabo-Tasha and Ungugwar Romi
where materials arrived late.

However, there was
orderly conduct of voters and security agents in most of the polling
stations as well as heavy presence of security personnel who were
stationed at strategic points in the state.

There was complaint of under aged people who voted in some polling
units in Tudun-wada and Rigassa areas in Kaduna North Local Government
Area despite the presence of the Police and other security agents. An
ANPP agent said that most of those who cast their vote were not up to
18 years, threatening that his party was going to file a petition to
INEC to that effect.

Ibrahim Shekarau, presidential
candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and governor of Kano
State voted on Saturday at the Giginyu polling unit of Nassarawa Local
Government Area of the state.

Mr Shekarau
arrived at the polling unit at 12.10pm for accreditation and voted as
soon as voting commenced. While he was departing from the polling unit
at after voting, the security team that accompanied him to the unit
arrested a man for saying, “bamayi” (meaning we are not with you) to
the governor.

Mr Shekarau praised the large turnout of voters, saying that the exercise went peacefully in an orderly manner.

Voter apathy

However, there was
low turnout of voters at Jigirya polling unit, where the INEC official
conducting the election at the venue told NEXT correspondent that out
of the 1,268 eligible voters that registered at the unit, only 452 were
accredited at the centre at exactly 11.52am.

The official said:
“Our hope is that before the closure of accreditation, the voters will
come out and be accredited to cast their votes.” The situation was
different in Fagge B unit of Fagge Local Government Area; where the
turnout was large and impressive.

Muhammad Sani
Abacha, governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) who voted at Fagge B Ward expressed satisfaction with the
turnout, saying it was impressive.

It was also
observed that election materials arrived at all the polling units in
time, while the INEC adhoc staff said there was no report of any
violence within Kano city at the time of filing this report.

In Rogo Local Government Area which is
almost 150 kilometres away from Kano metropolis, election materials
arrived on time, but low turnout was also recorded at various polling
units of Zarewa, Bari, Rogo town and Zoza towns of the local government
area.</

Aminu Mojid, 26,
sat on his bed at the dilapidated Suleja general hospital, dazed from
the bomb blast that put him there. He kept asking me to repeat myself.

“I am sorry, I
used to hear better,” he said. His ear drums were hurt in the blast
that ripped off part of the office of the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) where he had gone to check his name on the
list of those scheduled to participate in the National Assembly polls.

Victims in pains

Around him, other
corps members wailed in agony as the medical staff struggled to prepare
them for the ambulance journey to Abuja where they could get better
treatment – if they get there alive. There had already been too much
delay. Blood from ripped flesh and bones flow ceaselessly from wounds
that defied the doctors valiant efforts; efforts that were bound to
fail because of the poor state of the hospital. Mr Mojid looked at
them, his colleagues, and sighed, “I am lucky,” he said. “I can talk, I
can walk. I just saw somebody died right here.” Actually, by 9.30pm
shortly before I met Mr Mojid, I had met the harassed compound nurse,
Martins Dawo who told me that 10 people had already died. She said 39
people were rushed there immediately after the blast, more than the
hospital could cope with, more than the hospital had ever seen. The
injuries were horrendous, her gloves were all covered with blood, as
were her shoes and she knew that more will die if they were not moved
immediately: but there were only a few ambulances available.

“How could they do
this to us?” Mr Mojid asked me. “We are just corpers trying to assist
in the elections.” I tried to say that they were the innocent victims
of a horrible crime but he disagreed. “No sir. We are the target. They
planted the bomb at the place where corpers were checking their names.
Nobody was there apart from us. They meant to kill us.” I asked who he
thought they were, “these people who planted the bombs.” “Politicians,”
he said promptly. “They should kill each other if they have to, but why
involve us?”

Corpers are Nigerians

I asked the
Director General of the NYSC, Muharazu Tsiga during his visit to the
hospital the next day why youth corps members should continue to be
drafted for election duties after this debacle. “Corps members are
Nigerians,” he said. “And we must continuously give them the
opportunity to ensure that Nigeria remains united. Besides, they will
soon be the policy makers themselves.” Mr Mojid said a similar thing
when I asked if he had any regrets for donning the NYSC uniform and
serving as a polling officer. “I will never regret serving my country,”
he said proudly. “Never. But the people need reorientation. Why kill
corpers? Why, why?” A graduate of Osun State polytechnic, Mr Mojid said
he arrived Suleja for his primary assignment less than two weeks ago.
“I thought it was an opportunity to serve. But as I sit here now, I
feel scared. Even here, I am not safe,” he said, taking note of the
grim surroundings; the patients suffering from great trauma moaning on
their bed; the harassed nurses, the endless stream of visitors who came
to confirm if a relative survived the blast.

As I took my
leave, I asked Mr Mojid if he thought elections should still go on the
next day? “Election cannot go on,” he said. “Do you know how many more
bombs are out there?” But the next day, elections did go on but not in
Suleja, and not with Mr Mojid. When I saw him the next morning, nurses
were attending to him, his face to the wall as they prepared to give
him his injections. I asked how he was. “l hear better now,” he said.