Olajumoke Fakomi
It now seems like a memory of a distant past but it’s not; one thing I know for certain is that participating in our local elections is a huge risk that could earn you injuries and possible death. The APC local government primary election did not hold on Saturday, May 29 in APC Ward B Ojodu. It was marred by violence and INEC ineptitude.
The aim of the primaries was to elect APC candidates for Councillor and Local Government Chairman. The contesting candidates were Layeni Kafayat who is a third time runner, Segun Odunbaku, Stole Rasheed, Abolaji Soleye who was said to have allegedly stepped down twice for his opponents.
As early as 7am, the EID ground in Aguda was brimming with anxious and determined voters clutching membership cards, and waiting to cast their votes. As we waited, rumors began circulating that the election would not hold. When I interrogated a party chieftain, he informed me there would no elections but results would be announced as the godfather of the ward had already chosen the Councillor and Chairman of the LGA.
Shortly after, INEC officials arrived at Ward B in Ojodu, Ogba with the Voters Register at exactly 1pm but after setting up they announced that there was a mix up as the Voters Register they brought was for Ikeja and Alausa LGA. The INEC officials then proceeded to ask the voters for their opinion in the manner they would vote. This mix up impeded voting – the people were divided and a rancorous argument started.
Some agents of the contesting candidates suggested INEC officials hold the elections and use the option A4 i.e., making the election an open one. Other agents rejected option A4 as illegal and maintained the election be a secret ballot; they advised INEC officials to go back and retrieve the right registers.
Old market women then stood up and started chanting, singing in support of their candidates insisting they must vote. The youths were not left behind; they too protested that the INEC officials brought the wrong registers intentionally. They vowed to do anything to ensure that voting happened as they had been waiting to vote since 7am.
Suddenly a man identified as OBJ, Olajide Bolu Jide (name has been changed) stormed onto the grounds and made straight for the INEC booth, with bodyguards in tow. He ordered the INEC officials to leave because voting wouldn’t take place that afternoon. He was accosted by some men and a fight ensued right there on the election grounds, and though there were policemen available, they could not curtail it. It was in the midst of the fight that the guns appeared, shots were being fired, and we all ran helter skelter. The INEC officials disappeared with their boxes and the grounds was empty within seconds.
The election didn’t hold and some of us went home to nurse our injuries even old Mrs Akanji left the premises with a broken leg. In another APC ward in Surulere two men were shot and killed. Election didn’t hold in many LGA’s in the state and where it held, there are always fears that results can be overturned and another candidate imposed after Election Day.
Political activists have long advocated that more Nigerians be part of the election process. But isn’t the violence we see enough to deter people from showing up to vote. Ask an average Nigerian why he didn’t vote and the response is, “I can’t go out to vote and be killed or injured.” Others say, “They have already selected their candidates; I’ll just be wasting my time.”
Many of the people I saw at the election grounds were market women, okada riders, artisans, and the likes. An overwhelming majority were offered 5,000 naira or less to appear and vote. This greed, gullibility plus the indifference and fear of non-voters affects the entire population at large. The candidates being voted for will be the ones to rule us whether we like it or not.
Dr Ikenna Nsolibe said “Though the delegates may be doing it for pecuniary gains, perhaps short-term, the long term effect of their decisions is felt by us, when we leave decision making to those calibre of people, the collateral damage is what we are experiencing today.”
If a primary election can be stopped and a few people killed, what will happen at the main election? How will the presidential election take place peacefully? If a card carrying member of a party is not free or safe to elect representatives, then how can other citizens be motivated to participate in electing credible leaders? If representatives are already selected before Election Day how is the process free and fair?
In Nigeria today, one cannot be too surprised at gunshots or the sight of a club. Recent events have culminated in the making the middle belt a vast morgue, there are also election violence, kidnappings and other crimes spread all over the rest of the country. Nigerians must wake up from their group slumber by first recognizing that the only enemy is the characters that make up the rank and file of the leadership. Then they must take steps to redefine the country by collectively voting in and voting out underperforming leadership.
