15th April, 2011
In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, reactions have been mixed as to which of the presidential candidates residents of the city will vote for in tomorrow’s presidential election. While some supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria said they will continue to vote for the party, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party also threw their weight behind the party’s candidate, President Goodluck Jonathan. Only a few offered to cast their votes for General Muhammadu Buhari, the CPC candidate.
Chairman, Temidire Ijumo community development association in Ota, Alhaji Ayinla O. said he will vote for President Jonathan because of all the presidential candidates he is the most amenable. “Of all of them, I will vote for Jonathan because he can be persuaded to change his mind on issues. Buhari, to me still has this military mentality of using force to achieve things. I don’t like that. He is also too rigid.
” “I won’t vote for Ribadu because he has little experience and because he has compromised his integrity. Here is somebody who accused Tinubu and others of corruption, he is now hobnobbing with them,” he stated.
A market leader at the popular Kuto Market, Alhaja Raliat Popoola, a supporter of ACN, said she has been mobilising others to vote for ACN in tomorrow’s election, stressing that it does not matter who the candidate is, she and her supporters will vote for ACN.
Ayodele Aremu, a transporter at the Lafenwa motor park, an obvious supporter of PPN said he will vote for Jonathan because the governor has directed all members of the party to vote for Jonathan. A housewife at Onikolobo, Mrs. Lapite Okunuga said she will vote for Jonathan tomorrow because that is her party’s candidate.
At the Moshood Abiola Way secretariat of the ACN, a member of the party, Tajudeen Aderemi said he will vote for ACN. A fruits merchant at Iwe Iroyin House, NUJ secretariat in Abeokuta, Yinusa Ibrahim said he will vote for Buhari because he is very honest.
A hawker, Folake Banmeke said she will vote for ACN tomorrow even though she doesn’t know the candidate.
—Lanre Babalola