NIGERIA: POLITICS - Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola casts his vote as people throughout country head to the ballot box in a crucial election

Record ID: 235140

  • Title: NIGERIA: POLITICS - Lagos governor Babatunde Fashola casts his vote as people throughout country head to the ballot box in a crucial election
  • Date: 17th April 2011
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (APRIL 17, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING TO CAST THEIR VOTE BABATUNDE FASHOLA, GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, CASTING HIS VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BABATUNDE FASHOLA, GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, SAYING: "Security wise it is peaceful so far, but we are reaching the critical end when voting now starts, when vote counting will subsequently take place and that is when we need to remain continuously vigilant and peaceful and law abiding." VOTERS CASTING THEIR VOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) AHIBUOGWU BRIAN, BUSINESSMAN IN LAGOS, SAYING: "The politicians should know that if they don't perform they are going to be voted out, so it is going to move them to actually work for the people and not for themeless and their pockets, and we electorate now know that we have the power to chose our leaders." PEOPLE WAITING TO VOTE (SOUNDBITE) (English) BISOLA NICOL, BUSINESSWOMAN IN LAGOS, SAYING: "It is a gradual thing, little by little we will get there, there are mistakes and all that but little by little we will get there, it will get to a stage when everybody's vote will definitely count, but right now there are still troubles here and there, definitely we will get there." WOMAN CASTING HER VOTE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING TO VOTE
  • Embargoed: 2nd May 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAG43LLYUCH1Q24CMMNF60W49P
  • Story Text: Nigerians voted in their masses on Saturday (April 16) in what they hope will be the first credible presidential election for decades, one which could set an example across Africa.
    Queues formed early across Nigeria, including the village of tin-roofed shacks in the Niger Delta where front-runner President Goodluck Jonathan voted and the dusty alleyway in the northern village of Daura where his main rival, former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, cast his ballot.
    Across most of the country of 150 million there was little sign of the chaos and violence that has dogged past elections, although two bombs panicked voters in the troubled north-eastern city of Maiduguri. There were no reported casualties.
    "Security wise it is peaceful so far, but we are reaching the critical end when voting now starts, when vote counting will subsequently take place and that is when we need to remain continuously vigilant and peaceful and law abiding," said Babatunde Fashola, the governor of Lagos state.
    The polls pit Jonathan, the first head of state from the oil-producing Niger Delta, against Buhari, a northern Muslim with a reputation as a disciplinarian.
    "The politicians should know that if they don't perform they are going to be voted out, so it is going to move them to actually work for the people and not for themselves and their pockets, and we electorate now know that we have the power to chose our leaders," said businessman Ashibuogwu Brian.
    The African giant, home to more people than Russia, has failed to hold a free and fair presidential election since military rule ended in 1999, leaving many of its citizens with little faith in achieving democracy.
    "It is a gradual thing, little by little we will get there, there are mistakes and all that but little by little we will get there, it will get to a stage when everybody's vote will definitely count, but right now there are still troubles here and there, definitely we will get there," said Bishola Nicol, Lagos businesswoman.
    A relatively successful parliamentary election a week ago, deemed credible by observers despite isolated acts of violence, has renewed voter confidence. Turnout appeared to be much higher than for the parliamentary election.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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