In Calabar, the capital of Cross River state, gloom reigns. Depression and helpless are the order of the day. These started 24 hours before the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared President Muhammadu Buhari, the winner of the very hotly contested February 23 Presidential election. Buhari had scored over 15 million votes to defeat Atiku Abubarkar of the PDP, who scored over 11million votes. Buhari won in 19 states, while Atiku won in 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Before the piecemeal announcement of the results started, Calabar residents were upbeat about PDP’s Atiku Abubakar. They insisted that the entire country, in their words, “has been Atikulated” and, therefore, the candidate’s victory in the polls was a fait accompli.
However, as results of the election trickled in and President Muhammadu Buhari shot into lead, an uneasy calm pervaded the city, with many wearing gloomy face. At a variety store in the Parliamentary Extension area of the Cross River state capital, two young women, supporting their chins with their palms spoke in hushed tones as they bemoaned what they described as “another four traumatic years under Buhari”.
When reminded that nobody has been declared winner of the presidential election yet, one of the women dismissed the suggestion with a wave of the hand, asking rhetorically, “Oga, can’t you see it yourself? Are you not seeing the rigging going on ?
A male shop owner at MCC Road who said he hails from Akwa Ibom state didn’t bother to hide his anger over the unfolding presidential results. In one breathe he claimed his preferred candidate (Atiku) would be president “whether the cabal likes it or not” and expressed his readiness to fight to restore Atiku’s stolen “mandate”. The shop owner was quick to add that he was happy with the result of the presidential and National Assembly election in his home state, especially the ouster from the Senate of Godswill Akpabio.” That man(Akpabio) think say him be God. Thank God dem don show am pepper for Akwa Ibom”, he said in a thick Efik tone.
A young female fruits seller who claimed she is an ardent Atiku supporter and had voted for him in the election rained curses on those she said rigged the PDP candidate out.
Akpan, a cab driver plying between MCC Road and Etta Agbor, waxed philosophical saying: “ Stolen good is stolen good.No matter how you admire it, your conscience will continue to flog you because it is not your own and you will live with a burden in your heart all your life. Victory and defeat do not bring an end to life”.
Meanwhile, the PDP cleared virtually all the National Assembly seats in the state with former Senate Leader, Ndoma Egba who flew APC’s flag for Cross River Central as one of the biggest casualties.
