2019 Election: How I was Harassed, Intimidated, Arrested, And Detained For Voting And Remaining Behind -By Sesugh Akume

So, I’m officially under police detention right now. Lol! Saw the report of abysmally low voter turn out today and decided to take a stroll to see things out in my neighborhood. At the nearest polling unit, you won’t believe what I saw, no voter! Only polling agents, poll workers, and security operatives. So I got into having this discussion with a friendly polling agent to understand what was going on.

Voter. Apathy. They say their votes don’t count, what’s the point? I tend to disagree. In the FCT PDP won, this is an FCT election why didn’t the winners in the FCT turn out? Two weeks ago the election was for president and NASS at the same time. Yet NASS got fewer votes. We kept discussing. The security and INEC people close by were having their own discussion about Imo, Rochas’ announcement under duress as winner, INEC’s refusal to give all such ‘winners’ their return certificate, and the implications in court, etc. Then this quack in civil defence uniform starts raising unrelated questions about the video where the returning officer said he was announcing under duress. It took another to explain why it’s easy to get such a video through spy recording equipment. Something in me snapped.

Earlier today we were having a discussion on this platform about people fixing others in the police, INEC, army, air force, just everywhere. The operatives therefore feel they owe their benefactors, and are loyal to them. Zero loyalty to the Republic. No patriotism. Why won’t things keep getting wrong. I saw this quack as one of such, who get fixed using notes to the recruiters, but know nothing. Those who truly qualify and are passionate never get a chance because they don’t have VIPs to give them notes to get recruited. I voiced it out, couldn’t keep it. I told the civilian explaining basic things to this senior security operative that it was rather unfortunate. The quack felt offended.

Moments later some road safety Lady came interrogating me. I asked why she was interrogating me. Bottom line if I wasn’t voting, I was to leave. I asked why? Mine was simple, show me the law or regulation and I’ll comply. I’m not arguing. Why can’t I be there, am I causing any disturbance? Then the drama began. Lol!

To summarise a long story, the police were called. I asked what my offence was. I was told I wasn’t to be there if I wasn’t voting. Why wasn’t I to be there if I wasn’t causing any disturbance? Over and over again we went. The police lady at the polling unit who called the patrol team is one I’m familiar with. She’s from the police outpost in my neighborhood. I couldn’t see some of my documents, and needed a police report. The exorbitant fee she charged me left me speechless. Well, let’s say I got my police report, and didn’t pay that extortionist fee. The second time, a mobile policeman was rude to me, I wrote a complaint letter to the FCT police commissioner, and copied their outpost. Nothing they did stopped me from submitting it. That complaint has weight and it’ll be treated, they know. They hate it that I insisted. Why do I know all of this matters? The policewoman said so. Lol!

Five police officers came swiftly. How I wish they were generally this efficient. The lady who led the team is the boss at their outstation, who did everything to prevent me from escalating that matter with the Mopol. From her anger and outburst you’d think I killed someone in the line of duty. One other overzealous sergeant who was among the team that night the officer was unprofessional was also being melodramatic. You’d think I bombed the polling unit. I kept asking. No one told me what wrong I did. I asked why it’s an issue to stand by where voting is (not) going on to see, discuss with someone privately and go? They hated it that I wasn’t intimidated by them. They don’t like people who speak ‘grammar’. Well, O was taken to where I met their boss. It’s rubbish. He says I should be here for a while and go.

PS
That reminds me. I got a call from the FCT CP’s office with regard to my letter of complaint about the unruly Mopol. I said I wasn’t in town, they said I should come over as soon as I return. I think it’s time to revisit that and pursue to its end.

Many of you, reading this, if not most didn’t go out to vote, you know yourselves.