Man who spent days at polling booth finally votes

By Lami Sadiq, Jos | Published Date Feb 24, 2019 4:03 AM


Abubakar Shettima stands by his polling unit in Dogon Agogo, Jos North Local Government area shortly after casting his vote

Yesterday, Abubakar Shettima actualised his plan to vote for his preferred presidential candidate at his polling unit located at Dogon Agogo in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Though Shettima was not the first on the queue, the 59-year- old was all smiles as he exchanged pleasantries with other voters before he walked back home to Duala, in Dogon Dutse Jos.

Shettima had surprised many when he relocated and camped at his polling unit on Wednesday, 13th February, in order to be the first person to cast his vote for President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He had spent three days and was gearing up to vote on Saturday morning when he learnt that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had postponed the February 16 presidential and national assembly election to February 23rd. He said he had been disappointed but was not rattled and had assured that, “I’m still on the queue, whenever INEC is ready for us we shall be ready. As humans, ours is to plan but only Allah determines when the plan can be executed,” he said.

Before his relocation, Shettima had sent his wife to Borno State and despite the postponement, he pressed on her to remain in Borno until she voted.

With a sleeping mat, a praying mat and blanket, Shettima took two pieces of clothing, his holy Qura’an and his PVC and head for Dogon Agogo. He had intended to camp under an old wide tree just beside a house where INEC had pasted the registration details of voters including that of Shettima, but the owner of the house offered him a room by an open mosque where Shettima joined many residents in congregational prayers.

The Borno-born father of nine’s reasons for relocating to his polling unit was not quickly understood even among his children. Fatima, one of Shettima’s daughters told our correspondent that she had laughed and teased him on the Wednesday he made his announcement to relocate.

“He asked me to boil bathing water for him and I did but a few minutes later he went ahead to turn it into a bucket grumbling that I was wasting his time. It was very funny, he picked his mats, blanket and Qur’an to leave and when I saw him, I fell to the ground laughing but he ignored us and left,” she said.

But when Shettima narrated to journalists why he was doing what he did most people including his daughter became proud of him, Daily Trust on Sunday gathered.

Within the three days he had camped at his polling unit, Shettima did not take a bath and told Daily Trust on Sunday that he would gladly go weeks without a bath.

“When I was unjustly incarcerated, we went for weeks without a bath, so what is three days?” he asked.

He was usually found seated on the elevated platform of the house where the names and pictures of eligible voters were pasted, reading his Quran. But after the elections were postponed, Shettima returned home in Duala, only to go back to his polling unit yesterday a few minutes after 8am.

At the time of his return, voting had commenced and despite putting his name as the first man on the queue, Umar Yusuf who owned the house where the list of voters were pasted said they could not wait for him to arrive so voting commenced without him.

Shettima had earlier assured that he would return to his polling unit on February 17th and camp there until Saturday, but days after visiting and meeting his absence in Dogon Agogo, our correspondent traced his home in Duala but met only Fatima who said her father had gone to work.

She confessed that on the first day he announced his relocation to the family, she had assisted him in putting his things together but it didn’t stop her from laughing and teasing him.

“I even fell to the floor laughing when he said he was going to spend three days at his polling unit. I passed his belongings to him and I laughed hard, but now I believe what he did was noble; he was sacrificing his comfort for a man whose actions as President led to his release. We all owe the president that sacrifice,” she said.

Fatima narrated that the family had been in despair when her father was taken away for about eight months without knowledge of his whereabouts or what offence he had committed.

“It was a trying time for us but even when he was later released, he never told me what the President did to save their lives until he spoke with journalists and I read it,” she said.

She also told our correspondent that her father had planned on staying at the polling unit till election day but was advised against it because many people started alleging that his actions were aimed at getting attention and financial benefits from government officials.

While corroborating his daughter’s story, Shettima said; “many people started saying that various government officials had given me money and that food stuff had been taken to my house. The rumour spread, so my brother who lives in Taraba State called and advised me to return home for fear that people may harm me,”

He recalled that he was unjustly arrested at the Bauchi motor park in Jos in 2015 and was moved to Borno State, where he described how hundreds of them were crammed in a cell for months. It was not until President Buhari came to power and demanded that the conditions of the cells be reviewed that Shettima said they were separated into 200 persons per cell and investigation into their arrest was carried out.

“When they found out that we were innocent, they released us with an apology. Before we were asked to go, the governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, invited us and apologized on behalf of the government. We were each given N10, 000 and a brocade to return home. They told us that it was routine to make such arrests but that after investigations, those found to be innocent would eventually be released.” It was that single experience that moved Shettima to spend three days at his polling unit.

He added, “I have done my part; I prayed about it before deciding to come out here and camp, I also prayed about today’s voting and I believe Allah will answer my prayers. Now, it is time for me to go back home and wait for the results,” he said before walking back home.

Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/man-who-spent-days-at-polling-booth-finally-votes.html

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P34c3
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See the unadulterated love for Baba which an established thief will never get in his life time. Children of hate, how market? I know u are as confused as headless chicken trying to understand whether all this is for real or not. U na never see anything!

And he voted APC .......... Just ImaqinE. .....

Unnecessary.

Fools everywhere, that is the reason they want them to remain poor, so that they can keep fooling their selves

Finally...

I hope he didn't waste his vote..

This is what ignorance can cause. If this man was gainfully employed, would he spend days in a polling unit? Wetin children wan chop? But because most of his children are the illiterate beggars you see on the streets, he can afford to spend weeks on a polling unit wasting his life and his time...

He tried

Buhari loyalists


See my signature

Touching story... This country harsh sha.

FiftyFifty:
See the unadulterated love for Baba which an established thief will never get in his life time. Children of hate, how market? I know u are as confused as headless chicken trying to understand whether all this is for real or not. U na never see anything!

I’ll rather vote a thief than vote a murderer

1 Word




JOBLESSNESS

That's good of him.

Good one.

SAI BABA ALL THE WAY

Useless poverty stricken illiterate, why birth 9 children that you definitely will not care for, which productive person goes to camp in a polling station. Lefulefu see what I was telling about illiterates and rascals supporting APC this one will donate at least 6 of his children to Boko haram as he won't be able to feed them. Back to Daura is a goal

Fct votes is a shut down for Atiku... Pmb ntoor, na illiterate de vote bubu

iCauseTrouble:
APC Guber Candidate came to my village for campaign. He asked the villagers to mention 2major problems in the village

They told him that one of their problems is lack of qualified medical doctors.

The politician brought out his phone and pretended to be making call. He later told them "your problem is solved" What's the other problem?

They said they don't have network in the village ���

you are repeating d same words in every thread

ATIKUOBI ALL THE WAY

That is a kind gesture to pay back your loved ones. Those condemning doesn't see that he was only trying to repay kindness something that is emotional and even hard to drop in the presence of bad economy.

iCauseTrouble:
APC Guber Candidate came to my village for campaign. He asked the villagers to mention 2major problems in the village

They told him that one of their problems is lack of qualified medical doctors.

The politician brought out his phone and pretended to be making call. He later told them "your problem is solved" What's the other problem?

They said they don't have network in the village ���

una village sabi wyniny person be dat oooh, dem fit d do well for yahoo biz

He waited for days to vote Buhari out.

iCauseTrouble:
APC Guber Candidate came to my village for campaign. He asked the villagers to mention 2major problems in the village

They told him that one of their problems is lack of qualified medical doctors.

The politician brought out his phone and pretended to be making call. He later told them "your problem is solved" What's the other problem?

They said they don't have network in the village ���

Bro, e don do na, this things is now every where and its no longer funny again

Jobless Zombie

dlondonbadboy:
I hope he didn't waste his vote..

This is what ignorance can cause. If this man was gainfully employed, would he spend days in a polling unit? Wetin children wan chop? But because most of his children are the illiterate beggars you see on the streets, he can afford to spend weeks on a polling unit wasting his life and his time...

Shettima had earlier assured that he would return to his polling unit on February 17th and camp there until Saturday, but days after visiting and meeting his absence in Dogon Agogo, our correspondent traced his home in Duala but met only Fatima who said her father had gone to work.

Why are you people like this? Can't someone do something differently without you people resorting to mentioning joblessness, poverty, ignorance, illiteracy, and so on? I guess you're the one feeding his children.
If na Oyinbo did that, you would be showing your 32 and praising him.

CaptainMitch:
Useless poverty stricken illiterate, why birth 9 children that you definitely will not care for, which productive person goes to camp in a polling station. Lefulefu see what I was telling about illiterates and rascals supporting APC this one will donate at least 6 of his children to Boko haram as he won't be able to feed them. Back to Daura is a goal

If we begin to count the number of children your father gave birth to, we will count 20. What is his job?

My family members are 6 in number and my house is 8 bedroom, he is a retired civil servant and a community leader, how about you? What does your father do??

maasoap:


If we begin to count the number of children your father gave birth to, we will count 20. What is his job?