Observation: Supplementary Election-Day Activities In Kano Metropolitan -By Jibrin Ibrahim

5pm, 23rd March 2019

We observed the election activities in a joint team of A. B. Mahmoud and Professor Auwal Yadudu of Kano Peace and Development Initiative (KAPEDI) and Professor Jibrin Ibrahim of the Centre for Democracy and Development. We observed the opening at Gwagwarwa 5 centre, Polling Unit 010 A & B, with 756 registered voters where one polling unit had started voting but not the second at 8:20 am. Our attention was drawn to the fact that polling officials for the second unit were waiting in their vehicle for the pulling unit to be cleared of the large crowd that occupied the area. We spoke to the police officer in charge who organised the security officials to clear the place and organise an orderly queue so that the polling officials could begin setting up at 8:30 am. The problem was that there was a very large crowd and the polling unit was on the road without any enclosure. It appears to be a road side suya place. When voting started, the smart card reader was working well.

Our driver was trying to take pictures and suddenly a crowd descended on him trying to seize his phone and we had to intervene to save the situation. There was a very intimidating presence of APC party agents all around us and we did not feel very safe. It appeared as if commotion could start at any moment given the huge crowd around.
We then proceeded to Gama Tudu Primary school Polling Unit 015 with 909 registered voters. There was a very large crowd outside the centre, again composed mainly of APC party agents and hundreds of people standing around. There was an effective security cordon round the school and only voters with PVC and party agents were allowed into the premises. Within the school premises itself, voting was proceeding smoothly. The problem was that the crowd outside was much larger than the number of voters inside. After counting, could the officials move out easily?

We proceeded to Kofar Mazugal, Masaka Primary School centre polling unit 051 with 752 registered voters where voting was going on in a fairly orderly manner with the PVC in use. There was however a very large crowd of non-voters amassed just outside the school. As we left the school at 10.25 am, we saw a senior police official outside, who had had seen earlier in Gama. We stopped to ask him how things were going and within a minute, the crowd got suspicious and started throwing stones at us. The police intervened immediately shooting warning shots and tear gas so we could leave unharmed. The tension and suspicion in all voting centres was extremely high producing a very volatile situation.

We then proceeded to Dala at Kukar Bulukiya Centre polling unit 040 with 613 registered voters and there was a large crowd outside the polling unit which appeared agitated and unsafe. We were advised to leave so we left.

Between 11 and 11:30 am were went back to Gama ward and drove through observing that crowds of non-voters appeared to be growing even large and there was tension in the air. Our assessment was that it was becoming unsafe so we left.

Observations

1) There was massive security presence composed essentially of the police and civil defence forces in all polling centres as well as major road intersections.

2) There were large crowds in all polling centres and most of them had badges indicating they were APC party agents and supervisors. The number of PDP agents was very small in comparison. The huge disequilibrium in terms of the relative numbers of agents could present a risk factor as the voting proceeds.

3) The level of tension in the city is extremely high and there are multiple narratives of rigging plots circulating which is increasing suspicion.

4) There is a concerted plan to prevent people recording what is going on camera or video. The threats to stop photographic evidence being taken is direct and has increased the suspicion that some untoward is being planned.

Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Development