UNIABUJA: AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT OF A FIRST-TIME VOTER, AND WHY THE STUDENTS OPTED FOR JONATHAN

Visits to families, friends, Wonderland, the cinemas etc are included in such trips.

However, April 16 was a different day. The presidential election was the most talked about event and almost every registered voter was determined to vote. Surprisingly, so many of us were first- timers, including me. Despite the fact that I had the chance to perform my civil duties during the previous election, I wouldn't have voted. Why? I had no sense of national worth. I thought that my vote was too insignificant to make a difference.

A lot of people felt the same way I did because election was no longer what it used to be. Yet, the will to be elements of change prompted us to be part of this process. Fortunately, the success of the National Assembly election gave us hope that our votes may count. Although many students had travelled to their home towns, the overall turnout was very impressive.

Some people arrived the same time with the ad hoc staff and electoral officers of INEC. Friends were immediately identified and new acquaintances were formed as we got in line to be accredited. It was really exciting to see the bond formed over politics, each individual with his/her candidate of choice. Driven by a common goal, we stood in those lines – with the sun burning out its heat on our faces.

Out of curiosity, I asked my neighbours who they intended to vote for. Instead of definitive, they gave me non-definitive answers.

They were determined to guard their votes very jealously at all costs. Security officers were stationed at various locations and voting commenced shortly after accreditation. I anxiously waited to cast my vote before rushing off to get the right answers to the question I had asked. This time, I questioned those who had voted. From their responses. President Goodluck Jonathan, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau were the top contenders.

A final year student of Physics said she chose Dr. Jonathan because she believed he could make a positive impact. She explained that for the first time since the beginning of our democratic era, the price of fuel has remained stable even at festive seasons. 'If such a feat could be achieved in nine months, then the years ahead will be better,' she said.

Another was impressed by Jonathan's decision to establish federal universities in states that had none. He emphasized how the project would bring development both at the grassroots and at national levels. Two friends who were leaving to grab a bite gave their views on his personality. They referred to him as a man of principle based on his 'one man, one vote' policy. Someone hinted on the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta. He expressed satisfaction with the way Dr. Jonathan handled the transition from the late President Umaru Yar'Adua. Though he wasn't happy with the level of insecurity and unemployment, he was confident Jonathan would improve on them given the chance.

The reasons were listless and ranged from ethnicity to trust. Still not everybody shared the same sentiments. A Theatre Arts student fresher was quite indifferent towards the PDP candidate. He liked him, but had lost respect for the party. He claimed that the politics of godfathers' and the circulation of power within the same caucus had stunted the growth of a very prosperous economy.

He believed if Ribadu is elected, he would break the myopic vision of the ruling party by bringing innovative ideas into the system. Nafisat Akano, a 300- level Micro-biology student said the Ribadu/Adeola pair was what the country needed in terms of all-round progress.

She envisaged a decline in corruption, a rise in productivity and a secured environment where development could take place. A bystander preferred Mallam Shekarau in terms of good governance. She argued that his experience would come a long way in bringing an end to the seemingly endless crisis in Jos. She also commended his efforts towards agriculture and education.

The candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) wasn't left out in the debate. He actually had one of the best resume on accounts of leadership. Several students praised his reign as a military commander saying that in the midst of power drunk politicians, he stood out. With the promise of eliminating corruption, they were looking forward to a corrupt free society, a place where fraudulent and unreasonable leaders will be brought to justice regardless of their position.

After listening to their views, I noticed they all wanted the same thing; change. The average Nigerian is tired of hearing empty promises. We need a selfless leader who has a plan that will usher in a revolution of change. We all pray to live in a place where ethnic violence, inflation, unemployment and insecurity will be a thing of the past. A place where the politics of ethnicity and religion will take the back seat and true labour will be rewarded. It may take one year or eight years. With hope in our hearts, we will get there.

•Ekiyegha is a 400-L student of Computer Science, University of Abuja

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