For many reporters that monitored last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in Badagry, finding their way around the historic town was the immediate challenge. Correspondent MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE, who covered the elections in the town, looks at the contest between the two major parties and some of the hitches experienced during the polls.
The ancient town of Badagry was a beehive of activities on that fateful Friday evening when one arrived the former slave port for election duties. Residents were trying to do last minute shopping before the historic March 28 election. One’s first assignment on arrival at the town was to secure accommodation. The next thing was to make arrangement for transportation to move round during the exercise. This is because the usual restriction of vehicular movement during elections. To this end, a commercial motorcycle rider was engaged.
But, moving around with the bike rider during the election was a tall order. One had expected that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pass in one’s possession will cover both the reporter and the bike rider. But, on approaching the Badagry Roundabout, en route to one’s place of my primary assignment, stern-looking military men stopped one and demanded to know why the bike rider was on the road. After due explanations, the reporter and his companion were allowed to resume the journey. But, only to be stopped once again a few meters away. After a brief dialogue, it became evident that, that was as far as the bike man could go with the reporter.
So, the remaining part of the journey to the polling unit where the Peoples Democratic Party Deputy Governorship candidate Alhaja Sarufat Abdulkareem is registered was done on foot. Most of the reporters who monitored last Saturday’s elections in Badagry did so to keep tab on the governorship running mate’s constituency. Badagry is known for its conservative views and support for political parties with that orientation. That was perhaps why Alhaja Abdulkareem, who is from the town, was chosen as running mate to the PDP Governorship flag bearer Jimi Agbaje.
Minor hitches were witnessed during the exercise, but it was largely peaceful. Prospective voters were at the polling unit as early as 7.30am in most polling units in town. But, the process of accreditation did not start until about 9.00am in most polling units. At least that was the situation at Alhaja Abdulkareem’s polling centre. Nevertheless, by 9.30am she had been accredited. In an interview with our reporter afterwards, she noted that the whole process was impressive, but added that the card reader was an issue. She said the card reader slowed down the process a little bit. In spite of that, she pleaded with the voters to be patient with INEC. She urged the commission to double its efforts, so that the process could be concluded in good time.
She said: “The exercise is okay but the challenge is the machine. There have been difficulties identifying the finger prints of some duly registered voters. This has slowed the process a little. But, with the washing of hands, the card reader could easily identify the bearer of the card. So, I want to advise our people to wash their hands properly before presenting themselves for accreditation.”
Moving round town was not easy. At every check point, all those monitoring the elections were stopped to identify ourselves.
But, generally, the ancient community was calm; children were seen playing football along major roads. Adults who were not interested in the election were seen in the front of their houses, attending to domestic matters. At some polling units, some women took advantage of the large gathering of people, by putting up one food item or the other for sale.
At Olorunda Local Council Development Area, the traditional ruler, the Alapa of Apa Kingdom, Oba Oyekan Adekanmi Possi, was in the company of some of his chiefs. They were relaxing under one of the trees in the front of the palace. The chiefs commended the process and urged whoever wins to develop the kingdom.
The monarch equally expressed optimism that the election would make politicians to sit up and deliver democracy dividends to the people. He said: “The days when politicians take the voters for granted is becoming a thing of the past. One could see that the people are more interested in those who lead them.
“That is why people are coming out in large numbers to be part of this election. As a traditional ruler, all I can tell my people is to participate in the electioneering process. My people have shown keen interest; the people of Apa kingdom are part of the movement to usher a new beginning.”
At the polling unit where the former chairman of the Badagry West LGA, Joseph Bamgbose voted, reporters monitoring the election spoke with the former chairman. Bamgbose claimed that the land border at Seme was opened to allow some foreigners in on the morning of the election.
He alleged that the infiltrators were allowed in to undermine the voting process. He was however confident of victory despite the coming of the mercenary voters. He said the Federal Government that is supposed to protect the sanctity of the election is rather creating more problems for the process.
He said: “We learnt some people were allowed from the neighbouring Republic of Benin. The border was opened at Seme, some people wanted to protest, but we don’t want a situation where that will become a problem.
Bamgbose added: “Some people were not happy with the development; the infiltrators have Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC). That means they had come into the country before now, to collect their PVC.
“I think it was pre-arranged; they had done what they wanted to do, we would go on with the election. This does not however mean we are crying foul. We are confident that we will win.”
The Executive Secretary of Badagry West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Ade Agoro said INEC performance is above average. He noted however that the batteries of the card reader do not last long. This, he said, compounded the problem.
He said: “From what I can say, I think INEC has scored about 62.5 per cent. Again, Badagry West has been very peaceful during the conduct of this election. We have conducted ourselves in orderly manner and the outcome of the election will be embraced.”
APC chieftain Sunny Ajose said the inability of INEC to get voting materials to some polling units on time was responsible for the delay in accreditation and the eventually the commencement of voting.
He listed some polling units that were affected by the shortcomings. He said the electoral umpire needs to forestall similar challenges that are likely to surface in coming elections.
“The peaceful nature of Badagry is one of the features that helped in the conduct of the election. However, INEC must get its act together during the next election such challenges.”
At the Ward C, Unit 001 in Jossoro, Badagry West, youths in the community protested because over a 100 registered voters could not be accredited. The INEC ad hoc staff on duty had stopped the accreditation, because the time for the exercise had elapsed. The youths in the community threatened to beat the INEC staff if the remaining persons are accredited.
Soldiers had to move in. They fired shots into the air to disperse the angry youths and during the ensuing melee, they whisked away the INEC official into a waiting vehicle. More solders were drafted to the venue, to facilitate the continuation of the election. Some of the youths had to flee.
The people of Badagry were very enthusiastic about the election. In the event that the election is not concluded in daylight, generators and other sources of power had been procured to enable the Badagry people cast their votes.
At INEC Secretariat, the Returning Officer for Badagry, Mr. Ayo Adeleke, was seen deploying relief materials to places where election was still taking place at night.
By 2.00am, the INEC office had become a beehive activity. This is because stakeholders, including the commission staff, party agents, party supporters and reporters, had converged at the secretariat for collation of the final result.
People were anxious to know the outcome of the election. But, a few hours after, it became obvious that the commission was not in a hurry to announce the result. The waiting game persisted till Sunday evening.
In the interim, party members were seen cross-checking their records, to ensure that it tallied with what INEC would pronounce. Speculation was rife and tension kept mounting. People were apprehensive that danger lurked around the corner. They advised their loved ones, particularly women and children, to leave the scene.
The APC and PDP loyalists were confident of victory. But, INEC was not in a hurry to release the result. Soldiers had to be drafted to the secretariat to disperse the people.
In view of the brewing crisis, INEC officials took the initiative to move the electoral materials to the INEC Office in Lagos, from where the results were finally declared.
