Iliya Kure
Kaduna (Nigeria) — Thousands of Nigériens residing in Nigeria on sunday voted in second round of their country’s presidential election in various cities of Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Lagos among others.
The general election was conducted on 21st of February. A total of 15 candidates contested for the presidency with incumbent President Mahamadou Issoufou running for a second term.
AFRICA PRIME NEWS reporter in Kaduna, northwest nigeria, who visited Tudun Wada LEA primary school, the poling station in Kaduna, says voters from all the 23 local government areas of the state and neighbouring states trooped-in as early as 6am to cast their votes.
Our reporter observed that the election was peaceful and that there were no complaints, as needed electoral materials were provided on time to make every eligible voter cast their vote according to the rules and regulation guiding the conduct of the election.
A voter, Jibril Garba, who expressed satisfaction with the arrangement, saying he voted without a hitch, thanking Nigerian government for the security provided, “we casted our vote in Nigeria as if we are in our country Niger Republic, this is due to the friendly relationship between the two countries.”
He told AFRICA PRIME NEWS “I spoke with other citizens in Lagos and Kano who confirmed to me that the elections were also peaceful in their places.
“You know this is the second round of the presidential election to arrive at a winner, by now, whoever God wants have already polled the required votes.”
Secretary General, Niger Republic Community in Nigeria, Sidilghabit Ahmed Tarwaq, in an interview said, “we are grateful with the large number of voters that came out to vote today. We have over 670 registered voters in Kaduna that were expected to come and cast their vote”
Sidilgabit said, there are 11,000 registered voters across Nigeria and are all expected to cast their vote today, “this is the first of its kind in the history of our great country, and for the first time thousands of Niger Republic citizens are voting in another country.”
Sidilgabit expressed satisfaction with the support received from Nigerian security who assisted to ensure a peaceful election process.
In Kano, Chairman of the Niger Republic Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) Kano Zone, Iliyasu Sumaila, said 745 registered eligible voters were expected to vote in Kano in the run-off election.
“The election has commenced by 8am and is expected to end by 7pm. The Commission had taken all the necessary measures to ensure a hitch-free election in the across the country”.
