With the last-minute shift of the Presidential and National Assembly elections from the initial February 16 date to Saturday 23, 2019, speculations were rife that many voters may not turn up again. ANDY ASEMOTA, in this piece, recounts a different scenario in Katsina State.
As a large chunk of more than three million of Katsina state’s people armed with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) converged at their various polling units last Saturday to exercise their franchise with optimism all the way, the state was thrown into an excitement mood.
So, who did it? What brought out the voters in their numbers? What was the contribution of the political parties or their candidates? Did the combined efforts of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other vested interests contributed to the massive turnout of voters across the state? The answers are not far-fetched.
The fact that voters came out en masse in Katsina states as indeed in most states of the federation shows that all the elements in varying degrees combined to make the level of participation in last Saturday’s polls unique, if not unprecedented.
In Katsina, as early as 6:00am, before the official restriction of movement commenced, my colleagues and I saw several voters, who had gathered at different polling units in an upbeat mood to carry out their civic responsibility. Both the young and old were in one accord in the pleasure to vote for leaders of their choice.
That day, we visited many voting centres across the state and there was none with low turn-out of men and women, especially the youths. Hundreds filed out in human trains, stretching about 50 metres in some cases, to and fro the INEC presiding officers. It was a spectacle to behold.
Asked what the motivation was for being on a queue for hours in the sun, Hassan Isyaku, 48, told LEADERSHIP Friday that it was a payback time for the services rendered to the common people and the less privileged in the past three years.
Isyaku, a teacher, said it was clear that efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Bello Masari were yielding much dividends and he felt that their government should be returned for the good of the nation and the Katsina state respectively.
Apart from Isyaku, many other voters interviewed said the presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) endeared himself to their hearts.
Many also felt that Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has equally been tested and should have their mandate to correct the mistakes of the current administration.
No doubt, Buhari is loved across the North, especially in his home state of Katsina. However, his main opponent, Atiku Abubakar, caused jitters in the camp of the ruling party. Atiku, a scion of Shehu Musa Yar’adua political structure, was said to have used the structure to remain a crowd puller any day in Katsina.
Before February 23 polls, the two leading presidential candidates had canvassed for votes in the state in the true sense of it while a few others merely displayed their posters and disappeared. So, as the results of last Saturday’s polls are pouring in, it didn’t come as a surprise that the race was strictly between Katsina state-born President Buhari and Adamawa-born Atiku, who sees Katsina as his second home.
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Indeed, the Presidential and National Assembly elections in Katsina state were remarkable in many ways. First, they were an election in the home state of the incumbent President. Secondly, they were the first general elections to hold after the President was first voted for about four years ago. Thirdly, it was an election, the ruling party wants to use to convince Nigerian electorate that APC’s popularity remains unshaken. Fourth, the two main presidential candidates were equally marched in several areas and each left no stone unturned to win the election.
Though Buhari hails from Katsina state, his party pursued the election in the state with all the vigour they deserved, not minding that he is from the state.
Expressing his view on the large voters’ turnout, Ahmed Musa, a trader, said it is no longer news that Buhari is loved across the North, especially for his incorruptible character and commitment to policies tilted towards the well-being of the poor.
His words: “The polls shift from February 16 to 23 did not deter voters; rather it was a blessing in disguise, going by the massive turnout of electorate. They trooped out for Buhari because Katsina belongs to him and he belongs to the state. Many presidential candidates shunned Katsina ahead of last Saturday’s election. That may not be unconnected to the fact that they had taken it for granted that they stand no chance.”
Despite the large number of voters, last weekend’s polls in Katsina state were peaceful, orderly and credible based on several accounts. An elated Katsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, expressed happiness with the orderly conduct of voters at his polling unit in Masari ward, Kafur local government area of the state.
In his characteristic manner, when he does not want to be outrightly partisan in his remarks, the governor expressed hope that the leadership that would emerge from the polls would work assiduously for the rapid growth and development of the country. He had said at different fora that, for now, only President Buhari could provide such leadership.
“The elections were transparent from all accounts and that gladdens the hearts of various stake holders across the state and the nation in these elections. We give gratitude to God, who made it possible for INEC to conduct such polls in the state,” said a domestic observer and a health personnel, Tanimu Sani.
A staunch APC bigwig and Managing Director of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Hajiya Hadiza Bala Usman, who was in her hometown of Musawa for the elections lauded the massive turnout of voters, adding that the party is in good stead in the presidential race based on the development.
“I have seen massive turn out of voters which has given us confidence. We have noticed that a lot to of women have come out to cast their votes and this is very encouraging. I have seen an instance where a card reader was malfunctioning but an official of INEC was deployed immediately to resolve it.
“I am quite impressed with the conduct of the officials of INEC in the area and I will also like to say as we look forward to the collation and the outcome of the election, it is important that the polity understands that whatever God wills is what will happen. So, as we see, whatever the outcome is, I call on everyone to accept in good faith and understand that the people have spoken and it’s the vote of the people that matters,” she emphasized.
Asked about her prediction of the elections, she noted that it was too early as collation of votes was yet to commence as at the time of this report.
In her words: “All the candidates have canvased for votes across the country. It is time for the electorate to assess them accordingly.”
