Nigeriens satisfied with election arrangement

Nigerien citizens living in Bauchi have expressed optimism that Sunday’s general elections in their country would reflect the wishes of the electorate.

Some of them, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Sunday, said they were satisfied with the arrangement made by their country’s electoral body.

They were particularly pleased with the opportunity given to Nigeriens in diaspora, to exercise their franchise.

One of them, Abubakar Mohammed, said six vehicles were provided in Bauchi for them to travel to Kano, the nearest voting centre, as such only few of them could make it.

Abdullahi Mohammed, a tea and bread seller of Nigerien origin seen busy attending to his customers on the Election Day, told NAN that he could not afford to use his meagre resources to travel to Kano just to cast.

“”After all, there is no guarantee that my vote will matter at the end of the day,” he said when reminded that his vote was paramount in deciding a credible leader for his country.

Another Nigerien, Lawalli Ahmadu, a butcher, who was also seen selling beef at a time others were casting their votes, said Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Port-Harcourt, Sokoto and Katsine were the designated voting centres in Nigeria.

“I could not travel to cast my vote but instead, resolved to pray for a hitch-free election. I think my prayers for God to help us choose a credible leader is more important than my single vote,” he said.

Ahmadu’s son son, Mubarak Lawalli, who had just clock 18, said he would have been glad to vote for the first time, but had to stay back in Bauchi to assist his father in preparing and selling meat to customers.

When contacted for his remarks on the elections, Chairman of Nigeriens resident in Bauchi, Malam Mainasara Moussa, to NAN on telephone that he was in Kano for the exercise.