GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: Behind the Scenes

Though the governorship and houses of assembly elections have come and gone, the memory still lingers. During the elections, in spite of violence and tension that prevailed in many areas across the country, there were lots of dramatic situations that added fun to the exercise. Political Editor, AKINJIDE AKINTOLA, records some: Excerpts:
WHEN TINUBU BAILED OUT INEC
National leader of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu rose to the occasion as a true leader when he came to the aid of officials of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) as they came to their wit’s end at his polling booth at Alausa.
It all happened when it was voting time and Tinubu came back to the polling unit from his late mother’s house where he had been staying after he had been accredited earlier in the morning. The house is just a stone throw from the booth and since his mother died, he had always came to vote there in memory of his mother, leaving the confines of his more cozy Bourdillion home in Ikoyi.
While coming, he was surrounded by a large retinue of aides and security agents of all shades and colour- regular police, mobile police, SSS, Civil Defence, private security, Neigbourhood Watch and OPC, all trying to outdo the other in showing that they were defending their principal.
Besides, there was also an army of reporters as well as battery of camera men, brandishing all forms of cameras. Everybody surrounded him, trying to get his view. But in measured steps, he ignored all and went to the booth for the business of the day.
Yet, they would not let him be as they crowded him, even while on the queue at the polling unit. Indeed, the number of security men, many of them unsolicited as well as number of reporters and cameramen were more than the voters on the queue, making any work by the INEC officials impossible.
On many occasions, out of mild annoyance, Tinubu could be heard shouting at the securitymen and photographers who jostled to take shots to move back so that INEC officials could begin their job. But in the heat of the situation, no one took notice of him, even the security operatives.
Even the security operatives were unable to control the situation especially when the INEC officials asked the journalists to move back so that voting could take off. Several announcements made by the young INEC official were ignored.
This was when Tinubu, as a true patriot and leader stood up to be counted and rose to the occasion. He stepped forward and told the young man that he would help him but only if he allowed him to be the first person to cast his vote. He added that after voting, he would help drive the numerous security operatives and journalists away.
Of course, without any other alternative, the young man accepted the offer and Tinubu made his way forward in order to vote. After being given the ballot papers, he stepped into the box to thump print and later dropped them into the respective boxes.
Immediately he stepped out of the unit, the numerous security men surrounded him again and he asked them to summon all journalists. Having gone a few yards towards his mother’s house, journalists left the polling units and milled around him in their scores.
Consequently, the polling unit was left bare with only the voters remaining on the queues and in a very orderly manner.

CHECKPOINT DRAMA at ORILE, MILE-TWO
While the election was winding up, there was a particular check point along Orile-Mile Two Expressway under construction, manned by three soldiers stationed under the bridge who were giving hell to whoever wanted to pass. The leader of the gang, a corporal with a medium pot belly had no respect for anybody, whether you had permission to be on the road or not.
Not minding the fact that the time was a few minutes to 6pm, long past the 5pm restriction of movement clamped on Nigerians by the federal government on account of the polls, he kept threatening every motorists to go back to wherever they were coming from. Some reversed dangerously to avoid any confrontation with him.
Whether policemen, security operatives, journalists or even soldiers, he did not allow anyone passage, no matter the kind of explanation you give.
Our branded vehicle with INEC Election Duty poster was not spared. Despite the fact that we were in INEC reflective jacket, he bluntly refused to allow us passage, threatening to shoot unless we get back. This almost landed him in trouble later.
A young Brigadier General coming from Badagry where he had gone to monitor the polls was among those affected by the scenario caused by the soldier. Attempts by the General to put things right were rebuffed by the recalcitrant soldier who wielded his gun menacingly.
The General simply withdrew and called one of the members of the gang and introduced himself. Thankfully, that one was more reasonable and spoke to his senior colleague, whom after a little ‘sakara’ with the argument that how was he sure it was a genuine General on account of the age of the General, finally agreed and in a vicious move to create room for the General to pass, almost fomented another crisis as he was wielding his gun at other motorists to make room for the General in order to save face. It was indeed a lucky escape.

SENSITIVE CARD READER
At unit 001 Ward 10 in Somolu Local government of Lagos State, it was a drama of sort when our reporter got there at about 11am. Upon enquiry, the INEC officials, the agents, security personnel and the few voters on queue said everything was going on fine. When asked about the performance of the card reader. All of them affirmed that it was working perfectly, recognising people within seconds except on a few occasions. They then asked the reporter to wait and confirm for himself.
The first person that came, the card reader declined, to recognize him after several attempts during which he washed his hands with the water provided. When the second person came it was the same experience, likewise the third, the fourth, the fifth and the sixth person were rejected consecutively, despite the fact that they cleaned and even used soap to wash their hands. It was only the seventh person that was recognised almost instantly.
Physically enraged, the INEC officials literally accused the reporter of being responsible saying card was working perfectly until the reporter came to the booth! Can you imagine?

POLICE THREAT
Elsewhere on the Lagos Island, another drama played itself out. At unit 002 Lewis/Collins junction Sandgrouse area, the PDP agent there was busy ensuring that everything was free and fair and this earned him vicious glances from voters as well as from most unexpected quarters, the security agents.
Accreditation was still going on when our reporter got there. When asked whether there was any problem so far, it was only the PDP agent who answered saying there was nothing yet but he expressed fears that things might turn out differently when actual voting starts.
Immediately he said this, one of the policemen there, a sergeant told him to watch his words saying after the whole exercise was over the two of them have a score to settle as he has not conducted himself appropriately as expected.