Helen Saulnier 
Around the weekend, tens of tens of millions of voters took to the polls in Nigeria, Africa’s greatest democracy.
While turnout for presidential elections has been reduced in latest elections, this one particular has introduced notable ranges of engagement — especially between the youth.
“This time about, every person, everybody is coming out to vote,” stated Pleasure Ogbams, a businesswoman in Lagos who voted on Saturday.
Now, the voters are ready for the benefits in what is shaping up to be 1 of the country’s most-aggressive elections in current historical past.
The implementation of new, biometric voter registration and electoral transmission technologies has brought hopes that this could be Nigeria’s most clear election.
But some, like Ogbams, are not persuaded.
“I don’t know. This nation, there is very little income simply cannot do in this place. I just cannot belief them. I’m just praying our vote counts,” she explained.
At yet another polling station, Elijah Achimi waited to vote. He stated he traveled two times by bus for this election.
“I want adjust in my place. I’m not joyful with the way the situation is likely, and I have not observed any progress,” Achimi claimed.
“Right now, we need to get matters right. If not, our youngsters, ourselves, will experience.”
Though observers stated the election was normally tranquil throughout the nation, voters at one particular polling station in Lagos were being reeling from the disappointment of their ruined votes.
Voter Anthony Ogwo said that armed gentlemen experienced accosted voters at his polling station.
“They shot in the air. So, we started off jogging, worried. And they had been throwing stones at us,” he said.
He explained the males took the presidential ballot box, and dumped their accomplished paper ballots into a nearby gutter. He pointed to a pile of filthy, torn ballots littering the ground.
“One of these is mine.”
Ogwo reported he assisted retrieve them as proof: “I am not satisfied. Because my vote ought to be below.”
