Editor’s note: On Saturday March 28, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted a Presidential and National Assembly elections. Nigerians reportedly came out en-masse to exercise their civic responsibility including citizens that were internally displaced by the then ravaging Boko Haram insurgency in the North-Eastern region of the country. General Muhammadu Buhari of the major opposition party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) emerged victorious from the polls and defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Immediately INEC declared him winner, APC supporters took to the street in a wild and uncontrolled jubilation, which has resulted to several avoidable and untimely deaths in some part of the country.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.
– Story highlights:
– Nigerians expect a better Nigeria as APC takes over in May 29, 2015
–APC leaders should call their supporters to order
–Avoidable deaths spoiling the Historic victory
Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the 2015 presidential election is said to be historic because it is the first time in Nigeria’s political history that an incumbent President is losing to an opposition party while having control over the necessary apparatus to alter the polls as it were in the past
Buhari contested the presidential election for the fourth time on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which eventually turned out to be successful. He defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the margin of 2.57 million votes in the toughest competition so far recorded.
The presidential election which most Nigerians described as free, credible and violence free, enabled Buhari to make history while securing the country’s number one seat after three unsuccessful attempts in the past.
The victory sparked several reactions from Nigerians, with most of them expressing hope of a brighter future following the promises made by the President-elect during his campaign rallies across the country.
The future of Nigeria according to the APC government is expected to be corruption free, free meal for our school children, provision of three million jobs (3, 000,000) annually, enhanced naira strength against other foreign currencies, better health care facilities as well as improved power supply and generation to mention only but a few.
The promises are so enticing that Nigerians can no longer wait for May 29, the country’s democracy day which is also the handing over day, to come in order to start experiencing these mouthwatering and heart lifting promises.
But, despite these hope and agitation, the unfortunate avoidable deaths accompanying the General’s victory is beginning to send a wrong signal to some spiritually inclined and deep thinking Nigerians.
Immediately INEC declared Buhari the winner of the presidential polls on Wednesday April 1, 2015, the general’s supporters took to the streets across the country with all sorts of bizarre stunts, some of which were fatal.
No fewer than one hundred people have so far died while celebrating the President-elect victory. Reports say 17 people died in Kano, four died in Abuja, three in Kontagora, Niger State and one in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, while several others sustained injuries. Eyewitness, Ali Sufi of Naibawa Quarters said three people were crushed to death at Naibawa U-turn, when a man in a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into those celebrating.
An ad-hoc staff of communications giant, Etisalat, also lost his life alongside his friend when a reckless driver knocked them down at Ungwa Uku end of Zaria Road within Kano metropolis. Another resident of Naibawa quarters, Ibrahim Dogo, said that two teenagers were crushed to death along Zaria Road by a crazy driver.
In a bid to nip these tragedy, the Kano State Police Command spokesman Magaji Majia, said they discovered seven dead bodies of unknown persons on the streets after the celebration. He said investigations had commenced on how and why it happened. He also added that the development had forced the command to sponsor radio jingles to sensitize the city dwellers on how to go about the victory dance.
Some of the worst affected states comprised Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano and Edo, while in Rivers State, jubilant youths were seen along Omerelu/Elele/Port Harcourt Road, displaying different kinds of guns and other dangerous weapons, shooting into the air and chanting heroic songs.
Eye witnesses say many of the victims were either hit by a moving vehicles making stunt displays or lost their footing while watching the activities.
If not for these avoidable and senseless sacrifice resulting in deaths many from uncontrolled supporters, many Nigerian would have remained in jollification mood till the handing over day- May 29, simply for the fact that, it is the first time the country is experiencing a change of incumbent government in a true democratic process.
One would expect national and states leaders of the APC to start calling their supporters to order, as the President elect had done, when he urged his supporters across the country to remain calm and celebrate responsibly, saying: “this is not a time for wild ecstasy.”
Other chieftains of the APC should have made such calls by now in order to avoid more causalities, especially as the elections had been greatly commended by many international and local observers as the best so far conducted in Nigeria.
The INEC on its part had received a lot of commendations, while some of the political class had likened Buhari’s victory to Independence. But, the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, described the general’s victory as the finest moment in the political history of Nigeria.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely that of the author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.
– Story highlights:
– Nigerians expect a better Nigeria as APC takes over in May 29, 2015
–APC leaders should call their supporters to order
–Avoidable deaths spoiling the Historic victory
Muhammadu Buhari’s victory at the 2015 presidential election is said to be historic because it is the first time in Nigeria’s political history that an incumbent President is losing to an opposition party while having control over the necessary apparatus to alter the polls as it were in the past
Buhari contested the presidential election for the fourth time on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which eventually turned out to be successful. He defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with the margin of 2.57 million votes in the toughest competition so far recorded.
The presidential election which most Nigerians described as free, credible and violence free, enabled Buhari to make history while securing the country’s number one seat after three unsuccessful attempts in the past.
The victory sparked several reactions from Nigerians, with most of them expressing hope of a brighter future following the promises made by the President-elect during his campaign rallies across the country.
The future of Nigeria according to the APC government is expected to be corruption free, free meal for our school children, provision of three million jobs (3, 000,000) annually, enhanced naira strength against other foreign currencies, better health care facilities as well as improved power supply and generation to mention only but a few.
The promises are so enticing that Nigerians can no longer wait for May 29, the country’s democracy day which is also the handing over day, to come in order to start experiencing these mouthwatering and heart lifting promises.
But, despite these hope and agitation, the unfortunate avoidable deaths accompanying the General’s victory is beginning to send a wrong signal to some spiritually inclined and deep thinking Nigerians.
Immediately INEC declared Buhari the winner of the presidential polls on Wednesday April 1, 2015, the general’s supporters took to the streets across the country with all sorts of bizarre stunts, some of which were fatal.
No fewer than one hundred people have so far died while celebrating the President-elect victory. Reports say 17 people died in Kano, four died in Abuja, three in Kontagora, Niger State and one in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, while several others sustained injuries. Eyewitness, Ali Sufi of Naibawa Quarters said three people were crushed to death at Naibawa U-turn, when a man in a Toyota Camry car lost control and rammed into those celebrating.
An ad-hoc staff of communications giant, Etisalat, also lost his life alongside his friend when a reckless driver knocked them down at Ungwa Uku end of Zaria Road within Kano metropolis. Another resident of Naibawa quarters, Ibrahim Dogo, said that two teenagers were crushed to death along Zaria Road by a crazy driver.
In a bid to nip these tragedy, the Kano State Police Command spokesman Magaji Majia, said they discovered seven dead bodies of unknown persons on the streets after the celebration. He said investigations had commenced on how and why it happened. He also added that the development had forced the command to sponsor radio jingles to sensitize the city dwellers on how to go about the victory dance.
Some of the worst affected states comprised Adamawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Sokoto, Kano and Edo, while in Rivers State, jubilant youths were seen along Omerelu/Elele/Port Harcourt Road, displaying different kinds of guns and other dangerous weapons, shooting into the air and chanting heroic songs.
Eye witnesses say many of the victims were either hit by a moving vehicles making stunt displays or lost their footing while watching the activities.
If not for these avoidable and senseless sacrifice resulting in deaths many from uncontrolled supporters, many Nigerian would have remained in jollification mood till the handing over day- May 29, simply for the fact that, it is the first time the country is experiencing a change of incumbent government in a true democratic process.
One would expect national and states leaders of the APC to start calling their supporters to order, as the President elect had done, when he urged his supporters across the country to remain calm and celebrate responsibly, saying: “this is not a time for wild ecstasy.”
Other chieftains of the APC should have made such calls by now in order to avoid more causalities, especially as the elections had been greatly commended by many international and local observers as the best so far conducted in Nigeria.
The INEC on its part had received a lot of commendations, while some of the political class had likened Buhari’s victory to Independence. But, the national leader of the APC, Bola Tinubu, described the general’s victory as the finest moment in the political history of Nigeria.
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