TWENTY-FOUR hours to the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly election, heavy security presence and panic buying have been observed in Lagos state.
Some Lagos state residents also expressed mixed feelings about the outcome of the poll in a vox-pop across several locations in the state, The ICIR spoke to residents at Victoria Island, Ikeja, Abule-Egba, Ijaiye, Ogba and Fagba.
The frontrunners of the presidential candidates for tommorow’s election are Bola Tinubu (APC), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP)
Lagos has been touted to be a stronghold of Tinubu. However a commercial driver, Mustapha Adeyanju, was among those who expressed uncertainty if Tinubu would win.
Besides, he also expressed worry on possible outcome of the election, stressing that once there are no crises two days after the election, the country would experience a new era.
Reports have shown the military, Police and Department of Security Operatives (DSS) raiding hideouts of hoodlums as part of measures to prevent violent attacks on the election day.
There were also viral footages of heavy military vehicular detachment in Lagos.
But, while speaking on the candidate that is likely to emerge, Adeyanju disclosed that if Abubakar eventually wins, which according to him, is not a popular choice in the South-West, there might be crisis due to Tinubu’s popularity.
“I don’t believe Tinubu will win, and irrespective of who wins, the new president would not solve the existential problem of Nigeria,” he told The ICIR in an interview.
“The best is for each region to go their separate ways; with this, there can be a sustainable solution in the country.”
The driver reacting to the heavy security presence in the state, said it may discourage voters from turning out, as most of the military operatives he observed do not understand Yoruba, the popular local language in Lagos.
An Information Communication Technology expert, Tolani Adebowale, despite being a loyalist of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the opposition Labour Party (LP), expressed worry on the “likelihood of Tinubu winning the election.”
“…as the chances of Obi winning this election is very slim and it can only be God,” for Obi to emerge, she said.
According to her, what Nigerians need is a strong, fair and people-friendly president that would transform the fortune of the country for greater good.
However, Femi Fashube, another resident and strong believer of the APC presidential candidate, expressed optimism the Tinubu winning the election.
“Baba has higher chances of winning the election. It was a long term goal which he had nurtured, and he has also supported many people beyond the south west. So, I believe all these sacrifices would work in his favour.”
Panic-buying
Independent findings by The ICIR, showed that less than 24 hours to the poll, most parts of Lagos were still very peaceful.
There are normal vehicular movements except pockets of traffics. This was observed around market areas.
For instance, the Abibatu Mogaji market, popularly known as Ogba Sunday market, was filled with customers who had visited to stock their homes with groceries.
Passers-by disclosed that the market is mainly occupied on Sundays, unlike what The ICIR observed on ground.
Olugbenga heads the Investigations Desk at The ICIR. Do you have a scoop? Shoot him an email at oadanikin@icirnigeria.org. Twitter Handle: @OluAdanikin