Impressive turnout, upsets likely in N’ Assemby election

Nigerians voted on Saturday heralding the much awaited 2011 general elections amidst unprecedented enthusiasm among the electorates in the main, and indifference and fighting in a few occurrences.
So far, results have shown there could be upsets: many federal lawmakers were set to lose their seats.
Notwithstanding the disappointment and the uproar that greeted the April 2 sudden shift in the National Assembly pol

l that was to herald the beginning of the general elections, reports from across the states indicated huge turn-out of voters.
Residents in Abuja were said to have reported as early as 7.30am at their polling units, for accreditation that started at 8.00am. In Niger State, home to two recent bombing attacks in Suleja, voters were said to have trooped out in large numbers, apparently defying the bombers that they refused to be cowed.
The enthusiasm of the electorate appeared to be matched by the umpires, as the Independent National Electoral Commission deployed materials and officials to the voting centres on time. Largely, there were no reports of inadequate materials or non-availability of officials, as was the case with past polls in Nigeria.
Also, security agents deployed to the streets and polling centres appeared to be coming to terms with the ethos of democracy. They kept to the background and unlike in the past were not part of the problems of voters this time around.
On the flipside were skirmishes recorded in some parts of the country. In Ogume, Ndokwa Local Government Area of Delta State, four youth were reportedly shot dead; another two were killed during a confrontation between thugs of rival political parties in Ughelli.
In Ile-Ife, Osun East constituency, where incumbent Senator Iyiola Omisore contested for the third term at the upper federal legislative chamber, five people were reported killed in Isale-Agbara area when gunmen shot at the residence of a candidate in the election.
In Bayelsa, home state of President Goodluck Jonathan, violence reigned in most parts and there were reports of ballot box hijack in certain polling units.
In Kano, a hunter appeared in his polling unit with a dane gun; shoes were reportedly thrown at Kano State Governor and Presidential candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, Ibrahim Shekarau in Kano; and hoodlums armed with machete attempted to hijack the ballot boxes in Odeda, Ogun State.
Apparently unsure of how the day would turn out, voters refused to come out in their large numbers in Akure, Ondo State; Oyo, Oyo State; and in some other parts of the country, even as some voters reportedly trooped out in some of the 63 districts and constituencies where INEC had ruled out voting on Saturday.
While it may be too early to score the 2011 elections, the Saturday poll revealed a significant improvement on the 2003 and 2007 exercises that were characterized by violence, stuffing and hijacking of ballot boxes and shootings at polling units.
Early impression by analysts showed that INEC under Prof. Attahiru Jega, promises a less contentious poll this year, notwithstanding the disappointment of the past.
Unlike in the past, too, Nigerians seemed to have accepted that their political destiny is in their hands, hence the readiness to beat election thieves and rogues at their own game with the help of new technologies.
The voters did not only wait to listen to the results as they were announced at the polling units, most of the electorate posted the results for their wards immediately on facebook and other social networks, thus giving no room for afterward manipulations.