Caring. Thinking. Working.

I was shocked when I got to the centre I had registered to vote at only to be told to check if my name was in the list of the next centre. Needless to say, it was not there. I went back to my registration centre and complained to one of the INEC officials present. He said I was not the only one with that problem and that he had called his supervisor who would be available at 2.30 pm to sort the issue out.

It was only those of us who were determined to vote that stuck it through. Even after one INEC official cussed me out, another told me in the presence of other people that I should go back to my house because I cannot vote [though I had my registration card], I waited to vote. In all honesty my wait would have been in vain if not for the pensioners [who had also been told they could not vote] who told the officials that they [the officials]would not end the voting process or close for the day if they [the pensioners] had not voted. After all we all were registered to vote, we all are Nigerians.

Aside from this, I was highly disappointed at the way things turned out that day. I think that the main candidates were Mr. Abgaje and Mr. Fashola. Unfortunately because a good percentage of would-be-voters were disenfranchised by INEC, we would continue to wonder if Mr. Agbaje would have won the election.

I would also like to state that there are reports and eye-witness accounts of nation-wide rigging of the elections held on 14/04/07 and yet it seems there is no organisation that one can officially call to such centres immediately. Even if it is only the phone numbers of some media houses, at least the issue would be aired openly.

Having said this much, I would like to state that if Mr. Jimi Agbaje’s desires to continue with his political ambition, he should know that he still has the backing of a significant number of professionals.

On a final note, I am glad we had a different caliber of politicians come forward in this last election and not only the usual ‘same of same’.