My First Voting Experience
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While I was a teenager I got so intrigued whenever I heard people talk about voting. Many times I begged my Dad to carry me along to the polling unit so that I can see what happens there too but he often refused.
It felt so bad to see people voting and I was not able to participate. I kept wishing and hoping to reach adulthood as fast as possible so I could also get involved.
Unfortunately, when I became an adult, my eyes got open and I began to see the kind of corruption that is in the system and I got discouraged. The issue of election rigging was part of the things that finally spoiled the show. There was a time people in my town went to vote, things went south, I don't know how it resulted in a crisis and some boys got shot, one of them died.
Funny enough after the election, the candidate people wanted didn't win because it was later rigged. It devastated a lot of people, since then I said I was not going to be engaged in any political activity.
It was last year that I decided to register because I was not satisfied with the previous government and you know for change to come I have to contribute my quota. I was motivated by this popular election quote, "Your vote will count."
On the day of the election, I already knew that the polling units used to be full of people. My friends who have been voting already notified me. So, I left home early and arrived there even before the INEC officials and the police that came to supervise the election.
They had to make us wait for the appointment time before they commenced. At first, I thought a ballot paper should have the party's Abbreviations written on them so that one could just choose whichever he or she wanted but the reverse was the case. I was handed over the ballot and party logos were just everywhere.
I looked carefully, hoping to see the names of the contestants but none was there, I became so confused.
The truth is I don't belong to any political party, I go for candidates. I had to invite one of the agents there to help me. He was a young man like I am so we flowed well. He asked me who I was voting for and I told him then he pointed to the logo. I felt a bit embarrassed but who cares? LOL.
That was how I voted that day, I wonder how I would have done it if the guy was not there to assist me.
Though I was not so pleased with the way the ballot paper was designed because of some of our parents there, some of them don't know how to read, but I know they can Identify PDP, APC and the rest, if they had included the abbreviation along side the symbols it would have been more easy.
Going to invite someone to help you point at parties can be risky because some agents can make you vote for their candidates if they notice you are not familiar with the system.
After the election, most of the voters didn't leave, myself included, we all waited until the INEC officer collated the results and announced who won at our polling unit before our ears. It was a joyful moment because it was those I wanted that won in our unit.
What gave me more joy that day was the fact that the INEC officers kept telling us that our votes will count this time around. I came home rejoicing.
My voting experience was not bad, I didn't undergo any stress. There was no violence, no argument. It was just simple. I am also surprised that it was that way because most times I hear bad reports about voting.
Maybe it's because our polling unit was a small one and it was within our community, I mean it's one community who would bring any disagreement?
The only thing I felt bad about was that by the end of the day, who I voted for didn't win the election when results were announced but it happens, that's politics in Nigeria, the people's choice doesn't always matter. We vote but the government elects whoever they want.
It's so pathetic but we won't stop playing our parts, who knows someday, things like this might end. As citizens I advise that we don't get discouraged, let's always go out in our number to vote for the right person. If we keep shying away from politics and keep saying our votes won't count, how do we expect the change to come? Do your part and let God do his.