An uneasy calm has trailed most parts of the country after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results of the presidential and national assembly elections held on Saturday, February 25, 2023.
Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of INEC had declared Bola Tinubu, of the All Progressive Congress (APC) party, as the winner of the presidential election contrary to what some Nigerians believed reflected the votes cast.
According to INEC-released results, Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat 17 other candidates who took part in the election. He scored the highest number of votes, thus meeting the first constitutional requirement to be declared the winner.
Besides, the result indicates that Tinubu scored over 25 percent of the votes cast in 30 states, more than the 24 states constitutionally required.
Yet tension is obviously high across the country as some Nigerians are worried INEC might have betrayed the trust they have in the commission and the possible outcome of that.
Kenneth Morgan, a banker told BusinessDay that everything is calm in his area at the moment and that there are no issues now, except that people are still apprehensive about the outcome of the presidential election result as announced by INEC.
“Business is still slow, some businesses are yet to open, and those that are open have low patronage. However, things are picking up gradually and the tension is cooling off,” Morgan said.
We are all wishing there’s no aftermath of post-election violence and the parties affected should seek election tribunal for their course.”
Esther Enyinnaya, a public servant living in the Ago-Okota suburb of Lagos State said that on her way to the office, she noticed less traffic than usual on the road.
“Few vehicles graced the roads, and banks still have customers clustering and wait to withdraw. The likes of Fidelity and Access banks before Grandmate School Road already had people waiting to gain entrance to the banking halls,” she said.
‘I experienced little to no traffic on the way. Surprisingly the Cele-Ijesha expressway which is a hotspot for traffic wasn’t that busy. I got to the office quicker than I had anticipated.
The atmosphere perceived by people in my area after the election has been calm. No sign of violence. I also noticed that as well on my way to Mile 2, there was no flex of violence. People are going about their business as usual.”
Sunday Nwankwo, a businessman based in Kaduna State said the business communities in Kaduna and especially Zaria have turned into ghost towns.
“There is no violence anyway, probably because the announced result is in their favour, but there is a noticeable level of anxieu written all over people’s faces,” he said.
In Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, the report is not different from what is obtainable in other parts of the country.
Chima Apollos, a businessman said the commercial activities are on low key due to the emotional trauma coming from the INEC’s pronouncement.
“Business is slow, and this is borne out of the outcome of the February 25 election released results and the challenges of the scarcity of naira redesign,” he said.
Francis, a civil servant in Lagos State said people in his area, the Egbe/Ile-Iwe axis have not started going about their normal business as the roads are still empty.
“The election tension is still high and people are talking seriously about the upcoming governorship election, particularly in Lagos,” he said.
Drivers are reducing transport fares to attract more passengers. I paid N200 from my bus stop to Cele-Ijesha express where I usually would pay N400, and I didn’t experience a single traffic on my way; which is unusual under normal circumstances.”
However, Yemi Kayode, a fashion designer in Benin, Edo State said though some people in the state were not happy with the result announced by INEC, they have moved on with life and business activities.
“There is movement in Benin despite plans for protest in the state capital today,” she said.
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