The Governorship and House of Assembly Elections in Nigeria on Saturday were characterized by orderliness, according to Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives. He called on citizens to be allowed to vote for their conscience. After casting his vote at Ward 08, Polling Unit 014, Elizabeth Fowler Memorial School, Surulere, Lagos, Gbajabiamila spoke to reporters and commended the peaceful and orderly nature of the voting process, despite the low turnout of voters.
He also stated that there had been an improvement in terms of preparation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), citing the early arrival of staff and materials, successful accreditation, and the functioning of the BVAS. However, he acknowledged that the introduction of technology in the election process was still relatively new and had some glitches during the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly Elections.
Gbajabiamila maintained that the previous election was a learning experience, and INEC had taken steps to correct any flaws. He said that he expected to see a much better operation this time around. Gbajabiamila believed that the build-up of violence in some parts of the state was unfortunate, and the authorities should investigate to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice to prevent future occurrences.
The Speaker encouraged people to imbibe the culture of tolerance and allow others to vote according to their conscience. He noted that the exercise of the right to vote was crucial to democracy and called on citizens to go out and exercise their franchise. Finally, Gbajabiamila reminded everyone that perfecting any system takes time and that every imperfection is an opportunity to learn and improve.
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