I am a lawyer. I have been living in Lagos state since 2019. My experience has generally been okay. Although there are sometimes cases of discrimination, I would say it is not too much. So, it is manageable.
During the time of former President Goodluck Jonathan, I voted as a regular voter, but later I worked with INEC as an ad hoc staff, serving in Enugu and Anambra, and the elections there were peaceful and organised.
The 2023 presidential election in Lagos was my first time attempting to vote in Lagos. What I experienced there was different. Lagos was somehow rough during the election. Before people even got close to the polling unit, announcements were already being made. People were told openly that if they were not voting for the APC, they should go back home.
It was not something they waited to do secretly inside the polling unit. The announcements were made early, even before voting started properly. Some people became afraid and went back home immediately. Others still stayed and voted.
In my area, it was mainly the area boys making those announcements. They were the ones telling people that if they were not voting for a particular candidate, they should leave. It was not an official announcement from INEC, but everybody around heard what they were saying.
One woman told me she still voted for the candidate of her choice despite the intimidation. According to her, she quietly voted without allowing anybody to know who she voted for. So some people still exercised their rights despite the pressure around the polling area.
From what I saw, the intimidation during the presidential election was stronger than during the governorship election. It seemed the people involved were more interested in the presidential poll.
Personally, I stayed and voted for the candidate of my choice. But I would say there was intimidation. Even if nobody physically forced you, the environment alone was enough to make many people uncomfortable. The presence of area boys around the polling unit and the statements they were making created fear.
Police officers were present there during the election, but no action was taken. They saw what was happening, but they did nothing about it. There was no military presence in the area, only police officers.
From my observation, area boys interfere in elections in Lagos most of the time. That is one major problem. If elections must be free and fair, area boys should not be allowed anywhere near polling units. That is my honest opinion. Once they are around, people will not feel completely free to vote. Police officers should maintain order, while security should be strengthened around the area.
I also believe what happened in 2023 may reduce voter turnout in the 2027 elections because many people became discouraged by the experience. Some people no longer feel safe participating when there is intimidation around polling centres.
I am not sure whether I will vote, too. It depends on the environment. If the environment is peaceful, I will vote. But if there is tension or intimidation again, I may decide to stay at home.
As narrated by: Chukwunonso Charles (Lagos, Nigeria).
*Please note that an AI tool was used to upscale the feature image.
This snippet is published as part of the series, Not Your Lagos.
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