Across the world, the only time the young, the old and the youthful; the rich, the middle-class and the poor; the working-class, the self-employed and the jobless; the clerics, belivers, sinners, atheists and the saints; the singles, ’’the marrieds’’ and ‘’the complicateds’’; the intelligent, the average and ‘’the not too intelligent’’; the very good looking, the good looking and the not too good looking gather for one purpose is during THE ELECTION.
As the election progresses,many wonder if the eventual result will be a true reflection of the people’s mandate. Never has voting be been extended to the next day in Nigeria. Also, the much praised card readers have proved to be humans and not machines—After all, only humans are not perfect.
Failure of the card readers in some polling units have done nothing but cast shadows on the credibility of the election. Its errors would most certainly be the grounds with which the losers will argue in court.
However, the Nigerian people have proven to be more reliable than the card readers as they gently display ‘‘the never say die spirit’’, deciding to go for manual accreditation at times when the card reader fails just to ensure they exercise their power.
While in some areas, accreditation took less than 8 seconds, in other areas both the elderly and the young sit at polling units till 11:30pm waiting to be accredited.
In Bauchi state some tried to truncate the election by starting fires; in Adamawa, Yobe and Bornu, the Boko Haram militants came to the party again; in Edo, police men were shot at but on these occasions Nigerians did not need the help of the Joint Military Task Force as average citizens stood their grounds and ensured that voting took place.
What could be the reason behind this resurgent enthusiasm displayed by voters?
Could it be CHANGE or CONTINUITY?
This we will find out within the next 24 hours.
As the election progresses,many wonder if the eventual result will be a true reflection of the people’s mandate. Never has voting be been extended to the next day in Nigeria. Also, the much praised card readers have proved to be humans and not machines—After all, only humans are not perfect.
Failure of the card readers in some polling units have done nothing but cast shadows on the credibility of the election. Its errors would most certainly be the grounds with which the losers will argue in court.
However, the Nigerian people have proven to be more reliable than the card readers as they gently display ‘‘the never say die spirit’’, deciding to go for manual accreditation at times when the card reader fails just to ensure they exercise their power.
While in some areas, accreditation took less than 8 seconds, in other areas both the elderly and the young sit at polling units till 11:30pm waiting to be accredited.
In Bauchi state some tried to truncate the election by starting fires; in Adamawa, Yobe and Bornu, the Boko Haram militants came to the party again; in Edo, police men were shot at but on these occasions Nigerians did not need the help of the Joint Military Task Force as average citizens stood their grounds and ensured that voting took place.
What could be the reason behind this resurgent enthusiasm displayed by voters?
Could it be CHANGE or CONTINUITY?
This we will find out within the next 24 hours.
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