In the presidential elections, a few others and I were disenfranchised because of unit problems, I went to the polling unit by 7AM, I waited till 5PM but couldn’t vote. INEC arrived by 2:30PM after choas that day, I went home tired and frustrated.
Today, I wasn’t in my polling unit, I took risk and traveled from my state capital to my location today. The road was so dry, Military everywhere, no public transport, I almost urinated in my cloths at the sight of armed forces men… I waited and luckily saw a bus, I ran to enter, we took a bush track… We were all scared, it wasn’t easy this morning…
I arrived my unit, my neighbor asked me if I’m voting PDP, I was shocked, this is someone we both agreed to vote YPP, because he’s a better candidate, she had been bought over with money… She directed me on what to do and who to meet to get my 5k there.
I queued, voted and step aside. The police man was bribed, he gave party agents way to stand and look at the votes cast, if it’s PDP, they take you to the backyard, write your name and account number, expect 5k while they give you 1k as initial thank you.
I wasn’t too shocked, this was the system… I wanted the money so badly, I was even laughed at… Coupled with my suffering today, plus during the presidentials everyone collected except me… Today, I can’t boast of a thousand naira but I stood by grounds for the sake of equity and good conscience.
PDP won the unit, with a wide margin.. I was vexed… I came back home, even posted on my WhatsApp, I’m being laughed at, and I began wondering when doing good turned to a thing of mockery now….
I pray God opens a way for me so I can keep closing my eyes when I see money like this, as a student, 6k is way too much in this economy… But we move. On God.
This is me feeling fulfilled knowing I can criticize this governmet for the next four years with good conscience.
PDP will win in Akwa Ibom State as usual, but it’s trash. But I know they’re people like me, God bless you.