The 7th Election in Post Independent Nigeria

8/20/2019 The 7th Election in Post Independent Nigeria

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THE 7TH ELECTION IN POST INDEPENDENT NIGERIA

KARMAMI WARD

By

Umar Yusuf

23!"#$#%&$"

umaruyusuf'ya())*+)m

1st April 2015, 8:10 a.m.

I am an Administrative Assistant and a Registry staff of Bayero University Kano. ne

day at a!o"t 12:#0 $.%. one of o"r staffs &"s"f 'iman, (ame to my offi(e to as) me of *+et+er I

*ill !e interested in I-/s *or). +is refers to Independent ational -le(toral ommission in

(+arge of nation*ide ele(tions in igeria. I ans*ered affirmative *it+o"t +esitation as a res"lt of

*+i(+ +e immediately too) t+e ne(essary data all ot+er vol"nteers *ere re"ired to give namely:

ame, -d"(ational "alifi(ation and 3alary 4rade. It *as +o*ever not "ntil later in t+e day I

noti(ed t+at a 3pe(ial B"lletin of t+e University dated 20t+ an"ary 2015 +ad (arried t+e

information. +e +eading reads6

INEC AD-HOC STAFF FOR 2015 GENERAL ELECTIONS 1

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


2/10

$art of t+is ffi(ial B"lletin informed its readers t+at:

… (INEC) intends to engge st!! nd st"dents o! Fede#$

Te#ti#% Instit"tions !o# t&e 2015 Gene#$ E$e'tions2

%y attention *as +o*ever not to !e dire(ted to*ards t+e iss"e again "ntil *+en

training of t+e staffs (ommen(es on t+e 2nd of 7e!r"ary 2015. +en anot+er staff and fello*

aria man 3"laiman 3ar)i, notified me t+at a s+ort listed staff for t+e e9er(ise +ad already

stated reporting to t+e ld 3ite of t+e "niversity for a s+ort (o"rse t+at prepare t+e Ad+o( staff

for t+e on(oming ele(tions. I immediately *ent to (+e() t+e list. %y name *as among. 3o I

*ent !a() to my offi(e and notified my s"periors and t+en also pro(eed to report for t+e

(o"rse.

In t+e ven"e, I reali;ed t+at *e *ere to !e trained as 3"pervisory $residing ffi(ers


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+e training *as only for t+ree days !"t at t+e end of *+i(+ an e9amination *as

(ond"(ted *+i(+ ena!led t+em sele(t t+ose t+ey (o"ld "se to train ot+er offi(ials. +ey also

distri!"te some reading materials to t+e parti(ipants for f"rt+er st"dies at +ome.

I *as among t+ose sele(ted to train t+e $residing ffi(ers and t+eir assistants !"t I *as

not opport"ne to parta)e !e(a"se alt+o"g+ o"r telep+one n"m!ers *ere (olle(ted so t+ey (o"ld

notified "s on t+e any matter arising, I in parti("lar *as not (alled *+en t+e training programs

(ommen(es. I *as +o*ever made to "nderstand t+at I s+o"ld +ave )no*n t+at t+e training of

t+e $residing ffi(ers and t+eir Assistants *as to (ommen(e immediately after o"r !rief

training. %y p"nis+ment *as only t+at I *ill not get t+e raining Allo*an(e to !e paid to t+ose

*+o parta)e in t+e e9er(ise. o *or) no pay. +at is all rig+t.

+e ele(tion *as t+en "ne9pe(tedly s+ifted si9 *ee)s a+ead of t+e s(+ed"led time

!e(a"se of t+e inse("rity arising from t+e ort+ -astern Re!ellion of @Bo)o aram. +e ne*

> >ay *as 3at"rday 28t+, %ar(+, 2015 !y *+i(+ t+e government for(es mig+t +ave re(apt"re

t+e territories lost t+e ins"rgents. n 7riday 2Ct+, at a!o"t 12:2C$.%., a (o*or)er, a lady from

3o"t+ern Kad"na !"t *it+ a a"sa name (alled Kande &"s"f, *+o *as also a parti(ipant,

passed t+ro"g+ my offi(e on +er *ay to t+e I- offi(e *+ere t+e postings to vario"s (enters

*as said to +ave !een made, so *e (o"ld go toget+er to (+e()ed for *+ere *e *ere posted to. I

too) permission and *ent toget+er *it+ +er.

At I- offi(e, t+e postings *ere pasted on t+e *all o"tside and I noted t+at I *as to

go to 4a!asa*a 'o(al 4overnment of Kano 3tate for t+e e9er(ise. Kande/s name *as not on

t+e list. De *ent in t+e premises toget+er, I to (olle(t my posting latter *+ile s+e to )no* *+y

s+e *as not posted. +at *+en *e parted !e(a"se I *ent !a() to t+e offi(e immediately I

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(olle(ted my appointment latter so as to get money t+at *ill transport me to 4a!asa*a 'o(al

4overnment ead"arters and t+e I- offi(e t+ere.

A(t"ally I +ad no money *it+ me, and I +ad to !orro*ed t*o t+o"sand naira K offi(ial +e politely let me in and dire(ts me to t+e -le(toral

ffi(er/s offi(e. +ere t+e offi(er re(orded my reporting and too) my %o!ile elep+one

"m!er after *armly *el(oming me. I re(ogni;ed some of t+e fello* 3"pervisors t+at also

li)e me *ere from Bayero University.

+e pla(e *as a little !it (ro*ded for s"(+ a period of time and loo)ed !"sy as if it

*ere not nig+t, !"t no *onder t+e follo*ing day *ill !e t+e anti(ipated -le(tion >ay after si9

*ee)s postponement. I sat on a (ar sit left !e+ind in t+e (ompo"nd !y ve+i(les t+at removed

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t+em to give to (reate spa(e for ele(tion materials !eing moved to t+e respe(tive RAFDard

ollation enters


6/10

De o!served t+e %orning $rayers at a!o"t 5:#0 A.%. !efore departing immediately

after*ards. It *as a!o"t #0 min"tes drive. +ere


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(ases. +e voter s+o"ld +o*ever !e allo*ed to e9er(ise +is fran(+ise rig+ts to vote if t+e initial

verifi(ation proves t+at t+e ?oter ard !elongs to t+e voter and is a"t+enti(ated as (orre(t for

voting in t+at "nit. Anot+er pro!lem t+at also (omes "p *as t+at of !attery po*er dissipating.

*i(e I +ad to r"n !a() to t+e 'o(al 4overnment I- ead"arters at a)irai, to (olle(t

!atteries to t+e repla(e dead ones.

+en t+ere *as one mi9ed"p *+i(+ *as dis(overed later6 t+e res"lt re(ord s+its of

different polling "nits *ere mista)enly given to different "nits !e(a"se t+e (over page *ere t+e

same. It *as only dis(overed t+at at page one of every !oo)let t+e name of t+e respe(tive *as

*ritten. +at *as *+en I +ad to go ro"nd all t+e si9teen polling "nits to retrieved t+e ones t+at

not t+eirs and gives t+em t+eirs. +ere are t+ree !oo)lets for every (entre for t+e t+ree

respe(tive (ontested offi(es6 t+e $residen(y, 3enate and 7ederal o"se of Representatives.

+is +o*ever gave me t+e opport"nity to reali;ed +o* apart some t+e polling "nits

*ere *it+ ea(+ ot+er. De "sed motor (y(les !e(a"se some of t+e more remote areas *ere not

a((essi!le !y a fo"r *+eeled ve+i(les. In some of t+e remote $olling Units t+ere *ere no even

primary s(+ool to "se for as a $olling Unit6 as s"(+ t+e ele(tion *as (ond"(ted "nder t+e s+ade

of some trees.

+an) 4od +o*ever, !e(a"se !y a!o"t C:00 $.%. virt"ally t+e voting e9er(ise +ad

ended and t+e $residing ffi(ers +ad started ret"rning to o"r Karmami ollation entre, *ere

t+e res"lts of all t+e ot+er Units *ill !e (omp"ted in front of t+e Agents of all t+e (ontending

$oliti(al $arties !y t+e ollation ffi(er.

+at *as to ta)e "s "ntil almost 2:#0 A.%., partly !e(a"se some did not ret"rned in

time and partly !e(a"se some of t+e $residing ffi(ers do not )no* +o* to tidy "p t+eir res"lt

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s+eet a((ording to t+e standard re"ired. 7or instan(e, yo" +ad to re(ord t+e n"m!er of t+e

registered voters as (ontained in t+e register of voters, and t+en also re(ord t+e total n"m!er of

t+e !allot papers iss"ed to t+e $olling Unit as *ell as t+e n"m!er of t+e "n"sed !allot papers.

+en t+e n"m!er of t+e reEe(ted !allots and spoilt ones +ad to !e re(orded. After all t+ese, t+e

valid votes s(ored !y ea(+ of t+e politi(al party also +ad to !e re(orded in !ot+ fig"res and in

*ords in t+e appropriate spa(es provided for in 7orm -.8A.

All t+ese *ere done so as to a"t+enti(ate res"lts *+i(+ ones in(orre(tly entered t+e

final (omp"ting *ill not !e (orre(t. %any of t+e $residing ffi(ers (ond"(ting t+e e9er(ise for

t+e first time +ad m"ddled all t+ese "p, as s"(+ it ta)es time to !e re(omp"ted t+e *ay it

s+o"ld !e. +e (ollation *as +o*ever (ompleted at a!o"t 2:#0 A.%., and all t+e representatives

of t+e $oliti(al parties present *ere given t+e (ollated res"lts.

As a 3"pervising $residing ffi(er, it *as my responsi!ility to (olle(t all t+e items

given to t+e $residing ffi(ers e9(ept t+e Res"lt 3+eets and ard Reader at t+e end of t+e

e9er(ise. +ese t*o items mentioned *ere "s"ally s"!mitted to t+e ollation ffi(er *+ose

responsi!ility *as to (omp"te all t+e res"lts of t+e *ard.

+e items (olle(ted from t+e $s *ere t+en ta)en !a() to I- 'o(al 4overnment

ead"arter at a)irai. +e Eo"rney too) "s a!o"t 20 min"tes. De *ent !a() toget+er *it+ t+e

$oli(e ffi(ers *e (ame *it+ and t+ere after, t+e poli(e left, *+ile *e t+e 3$s *ere

instr"(ted to remove t+e forms "sed !y t+e $olling ffi(ers and separate t+em. At t+e same

time *e *ere dire(ted to a((o"nt for t+e n"m!er of !allot papers t+at *ere not "sed !y t+e

respe(tive polling "nits and t+ose not iss"ed to t+em in t+e first pla(e. +at *or) too) me

almost t*o +o"rs to (omplete.

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9/10

I do not sleep for t+e t*o days (onse("tively so I intends traveling immediately I

prayed in t+at morning of 3"nday, at a!o"t fe* min"tes to si9 A.% !e(a"se my family lives in

far a*ay aria, !"t t+e -le(toral ffi(er told me to *rite a report on +o* t+e ele(tion *as

(ond"(ted in my *ard. I do, somet+ing t+at o(("pied me for anot+er G5 min"tes or so. I

s"!mitted it and left t+e I- premises to go and loo) for a (ommer(ial ve+i(le !a() to Kano

as t+e first leg of my Eo"rney.

At t+e main road, I stood for over #0 min"tes !y t+e road !"t no (ommer(ial ve+i(le

pass !y. I sa* ot+er people also *aiting a!o"t t*o meters a*ay from me, I *ent near t+em.

7rom t+eir dis("ssion +o*ever I reali;ed t+at it *as for t*o reasons t+at (ommer(ial ve+i(les

*ere s(ars. ne of t+e reasons *as t+at most of t+e (ommer(ial ve+i(les *ere +ired o"t to

I- for t+e ongoing ele(tion e9er(ise, and se(ondly, t+e ot+er (ommer(ial operators *ere

afraid of traditional destr"(tion of properties t+at "s"ally follo*ed t+e anno"n(ement of

ele(tion res"lts *+i(+ *as al*ays rigged !y t+ose in po*er in t+is part of t+e *orld

7inally one man ta)ing t+e advantage of t+e availa!ility of t+e passengers, de(ided to

"se +is private (ar to (onvey "s to Kano. By t+en some res"lts +ad started filtering to t+e

mem!ers of t+e p"!li( !ot+ !y r"mors and (ommer(ial radios as *ell as so(ial media via

internet. +e information (oming *as "n"s"al in t+e sense t+at, at no time in t+e igeria/s/ 55

years +istory +ad any opposition party ever *on an ele(tion !"t from all indi(ation t+at is *+at

seems to !e +appening t+is time t+e remaining is no* +istory praying t+at t+is s+o"ld !e a

good omen for t+e f"t"re of t+e (o"ntry

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-a(+ of t+em *ere given a (opy

otes

1. Bayero University, Kano ffi(ial B"lletin ?ol. JJJI? 20

t+

an"ary, 2015 o. G2 Iid

* S%no+sis o! e$e'tion d% 'ti,ities !o# e$e'tion o!!i'i$s (INEC)

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The 7th Election in Post Independent Nigeria

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