WOULD the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deliver on its promise of conducting a free, fair and credible election tomorrow? This is one of the questions being asked most of the electorate yesterday by the country holds the National Assembly polls tomorrow.

This is the first nationwide election to be conduct by INEC under its new chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega. It is also the fourth polls into the federal legislature since Nigeria returned to full-blown democracy in 1999.

Altogether, 469 seats in the both chambers of the National Assembly are up for grabs at the end of tension-soaked and violence- ridden campaigns. The figures comprise of 109 Senatorial seats and 360 House of Representatives positions.

More here :
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43419:nigeria-shuts-borders-as-polls-begin-tomorrow-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

as if this will stop rigging, I'm laughing in French,

We have DDC, and as long as people from Niger and Chad didn't come into the North to register during the voter registration (as has been the case in the past) then land borders being open or closed should not have an effect should it? Perhaps to mitigate any possible chances of violence breaking out. I guess it is better to be safe than sorry.

all these people that are saying rigging rigging even if the election will be rigged what would u do? so lets just pray for so that the election will be just free and fair. ur mouth or eyes is not a gun so u can not do anything, lets just pray,

Let us pray that we get the government we want

I'm not too sure what shutting our borders will achieve.

Let us pray that it will be free and fair

In a statement yesterday in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, S. B. Ozigis, said: “The Minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho wishes to notify the general public that the Federal Government has directed that all land borders be closed from 12 noon on Friday, April 1, 2011 to 6 a.m. on Sunday, April 3, 2011. This is to ensure a peaceful and hitch-free conduct of the 2011 National Assembly elections taking place on April 2, 2011.


“In the same vein, vehicular movements have been restricted nationwide from 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on the election day, Saturday, April 2, 2011.  Only INEC vehicles, security operatives specially assigned for election duties as well as those on essential and emergency duties, would be allowed to ply the roads.

“The minister of Interior, Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho would like to use this medium to urge all Nigerians to ensure a very smooth, peaceful and successful elections,” he said.

Na wa o. Border closings aside, what's up with these knee jerk, ill informed restriction of vehicular movement?

How do you expect people to move freely and exercise their right to vote when you restrict vehicular movement? Is Nigeria a village?

How do you expect people who were forced to register far away from their homes to vote if they can't take a car or Okada on election day? We know INEC won't allow you to vote anywhere else.

It is not a secret that the shoddy INEC registration process forced many people to register at work, close to their churches, near the market, on their way to a friend 20 streets from home, and at other places way beyond normal trekking distances.

How are we encouraging them to vote when we ban vehicular movement? There should be a better way to ensure security, Nigeria is not at war, it's just an election.

If the police do their jobs, there will be no need to deny people their votes by restricting their movement. So no Okada on election day? Abi na April fool?

many will still not be voting becos of this movement restriction, i know ten or more of such people. what a country.

nigeria will never have any free and fair election again.

Kilode?!:

Na wa o. Border closings aside, what's up with these knee jerk, ill informed restriction of vehicular movement?

How do you expect people to move freely and exercise their right to vote when you restrict vehicular movement? Is Nigeria a village?

How do you expect people who were forced to register far away from their homes to vote if they can't take a car or Okada on election day? We know INEC won't allow you to vote anywhere else.

It is not a secret that the shoddy INEC registration process forced many people to register at work, close to their churches, near the market, on their way to a friend 20 streets from home, and at other places way beyond normal trekking distances.

How are we encouraging them to vote when we ban vehicular movement? There should be a better way to ensure security, Nigeria is not at war, it's just an election.

If the police do their jobs, there will be no need to deny people their votes by restricting their movement. So no Okada on election day? Abi na April fool?

LOL. So if you really want to vote and you registered far away, you better start leaving the house early enough to get there before 8am. It might be a price worth paying. We need to get these elections right.

Lets just have a free and fair election

Sky Blue:

LOL. So if you really want to vote and you registered far away, you better start leaving the house early enough to get there before 8am. It might be a price worth paying. We need to get these elections right.

I agree, It is definitely a price worth paying for those who are already passionate about the election.

But for the rest, the apathetic, the make-i-just-go-do-am-sha, the undecided, and those who have kids and other responsibilities that might cause them to have second thoughts,( I think most voters fall into the later categories) most people are not that passionate about elections. It not just a Nigerian phenomenon.

This is a silly decision that might prevent millions from voting. Considering the distance some people went to register and the fears they have about violence, restricting movement will discourage voters to trek.

Off topic; This is where I prefer compulsory voting, even if you have to vote "no-candidate"

Restricting movement does not make sense at all. A lot of people registered close to their places of business which is not walking distance from their homes. So how are they expected to vote!?  Can you vote anywhere as long as you are a registered voter in that state?
Why do the authorities in Nigeria never think? How is this move going to guarantee a free and fair election? Or is this a ploy to get people to stay away from the polling stations?!

Kaiser5000:

Restricting movement does not make sense at all. A lot of people registered close to their places of business which is not walking distance from their homes. So how are they expected to vote!?  Can you vote anywhere as long as you are a registered voter in that state?
Why do the authorities in Nigeria never think? How is this move going to guarantee a free and fair election? Or is this a ploy to get people to stay away from the polling stations?!

Do they really care about the voters/
i am sure the boxes are full already

Nigeria is a peculiar political clime and the restriction has its merit. Imagine all these political thugs and ballot snatchers given free rein, what do you think will happen. If the security forces are a tad serious this will go a long way to curbing these excesses. More positives please. BTW not voting 2row no legislator is worth it.

What is the point of Democracy, if we can never make it work.

lekyar:

Nigeria is a peculiar political clime and the restriction has its merit. Imagine all these political thugs and ballot snatchers given free rein, what do you think will happen. If the security forces are a tad serious this will go a long way to curbing these excesses. More positives please. BTW not voting 2row no legislator is worth it.

You think state sanctioned PDP thugs will obey this order?

You think they will be penalized for disobeying? Did you follow the recent Delta elections?

This brain-dead decision will disenfranchise decent common Nigerians period.

It will have no effect of the thugs and political goons bent on rigging. The police will look the other way.

Making regular Nigerians immobile will help mobile riggers and official thugs only.

lekyar:

Nigeria is a peculiar political clime and the restriction has its merit. Imagine all these political thugs and ballot snatchers given free rein, what do you think will happen. If the security forces are a tad serious this will go a long way to curbing these excesses. More positives please. BTW not voting 2row no legislator is worth it.

Don't know the candidates cos they've not 'deign' it fit to present themselves to my neighbourhood - Just posters of queer looking guys.

So, does this mean that all those who went out of the country for normal business will likely not have a chance to vote then if they do not cut that short and return by tomorrow? I hope they were at least informed of this in advance .

lekyar:

Don't know the candidates cos they've not 'deign' it fit to present themselves to my neighbourhood - Just posters of queer looking guys.

I don't think you have to wait for them to come to your door for you to go out there to get yourself informed on who the possibles are for your own future. It is your DUTY as a citizen to get inform yourself, so you can effectively vote the best for your own future and the future of your children.

Fhemmmy:

Borders shut down cos of elections . . . . .So business will stand still?
Na wa oh

Before nko?  Go open shop now when election dey go on. Nigerians we can complain dieee!!!!

TeskyMan:

Before nko?  Go open shop now when election dey go on. Nigerians we can complain dieee!!!!

Election is still 7 days away! I don't think it makes sense to shut down the whole country for a whole week before.

Kilode?!:

You think state sanctioned PDP thugs will obey this order?

You think they will be penalized for disobeying? Did you follow the recent Delta elections?

This brain-dead decision will disenfranchise decent common Nigerians period.

It will have no effect of the thugs and political goons bent on rigging. The police will look the other way.

Making regular Nigerians immobile will help mobile riggers and official thugs only.

I would prefer if you were non-partisan in you response to my post, why pointing fingers at a particular party as you know and everyone the other parties are also mired in same practices in their strongholds. So I don't much care for that. I would want to believe that these incidences of rigging by thuggery and ballot snatching will be minimized. Lets all be positive.

@Kobojunkie

"Ahead of the polls, the Federal Government had directed that the nation’s land border be closed form 12 noon today till 6 a.m. on Sunday."

The border closure is just for the election day.

Kobojunkie:

Election is still 7 days away! I don't think it makes sense to shut down the whole country for a whole week before.

Restrictions are only for election days 2nd, 9th and 16th.

lekyar:

I would prefer if you were non-partisan in you response to my post, why pointing fingers at a particular party as you know and everyone the other parties are also mired in same practices in their strongholds. So I don't much care for that. I would want to believe that these incidences of rigging by thuggery and ballot snatching will be minimized. Lets all be positive.

I will be so happy to see it even reduced by 10%, cos that is all Nigerian politician knows and depends on . . .that is why some of them will refuse to debate, cos they have alternative plan to get them the votes

OOOH!! I thought the presidential came first. My bad!

Fhemmmy:

I will be so happy to see it even reduced by 10%, cos that is all Nigerian politician knows and depends on . . .that is why some of them will refuse to debate, cos they have alternative plan to get them the votes

Shuffling the CP's go a long way to reinforcing my view that this might work out.