Elections in Nigeria: Commission Set To Proclaim Results

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission carries the hopes and aspirations of Nigeria, forty-eight hours after polls were closed for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections. As the nation and the world await the official outcome of Saturday’s vote, rampant rumor mongering and unfounded fears that a fix is being organized, appear to be taking Centre stage. Every contour, body language and movement of the INEC Chairman and his organization is being scrutinized to decipher any indice of complicity or subjectivity to confirm existing speculations. All these are hallmarks of Nigeria’s election season and as an umpire, INEC and its Chieftain have developed the appropriate thick skin to cope with the psychological demands of the office of the arbiter in a country that has over twenty-five percent of the black race within its frontiers. In the next few days or probably even hours, the Independent National Electoral Commission will render public the official results in a ceremony that will require detailed statistics from each Local Government Area in the thirtysix States and the Federal Capital Territory. To be declared winner of the Presidential election, a candidate must score at least twenty five percent of the votes in not less than twenty-four of the thirtysix States of the Federation. The winning candidate must also pluck the highest number of the popular votes cast.

Peace And Security

Of the over eighty-four million registered voters, about seventythree million effectively collected their personal voting cards. Lagos State registered the highest number of voters who took the pains to collect their cards. With five and a half million potential voters, Lagos remains a tempting cake for any aspirant to Aso Rock. Kano State is the second on the list of high voter concentration with more the four and a half million voter card holders. On the eve of voting proper on Saturday, over thirty thousand security operatives were deployed in Lagos. Zubairu Mu’azu, Lagos State Commissioner of Police said their priority was to provide security to INEC officials and the voters. Friday and Thursday saw a veritable rough and tumble with attacks on campaign convoys of the two leading parties. Thugs attacked a PDP convoy in Kofa town, Bebeji Local Government Area in Kano. Many were injured and vehicles burned. Former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwakwaso was part of the convoy. Another attack on a convoy was in Ilorin, Kwara State. This time, it was on APC convoy led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Apart from this isolated incidents, there was general peace and tranquility on the eve and during the entire voting process nationwide.

High Drama

Incumbent and APC candidate President Mohammadu Buhari got a booster on the eve of the elections as twelve of the seventytwo candidates for the Presidency decided to subordinate their ambitions by stepping down for him. The twelve members of the ‘’Forum o...