Wild Jubilation in Kano, Edo, Ibadan, Others…
Ibrahim Shuaibu Tens of thousands of people yesterday trooped out in Lagos, Kano, Jalingo, Edo, Ibadan and other cities to celebrate the victory of the president-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), who defeated the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan during the just concluded presidential election.
In these cities, men, women and youths and children all trooped out in large numbers to hail the Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with brooms in their hands.
In most of the cities, bus drivers, commercial motorcyclists and tricycle operators were not left out in the celebration.
In Kano for instance, a large crowd of people stormed major roads and streets in the city.
At the gate of Kano Government House, people were seen dancing while others were sharing free drinks.
Reports also from the local government areas in the state revealed that rural dwellers were not left out of the celebration as they all eat and danced over Buhari’s victory.
At Sabon Gari area which is highly populated by non-indigenes, there was loud music in solidarity with the president-elect.
In an interview with THISDAY, a renowned human rights activist, Ahmed Soron Dinki, expressed confidence that Buhari’s victory is a clear indication that democracy has come to stay in the country.
“I salute the courage of the opposition party members for thier effort in changing political atmosphere in the country. I believed Nigerians are matured enough politically now,” he said.
In Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the large crowd who trooped out to the streets with brooms in their hands, chanted “sai Buhari...”
At the Sabo area of city, hundreds of residents filed out, dancing and jubilating. Others rode on commercial motorcycles around through major roads with brooms in a long convoy as they rejoiced over the victory of the former Head of State.
In Benin-City, although the PDP defeated the APC in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state, supporters of the APC were consoled that Buhari emerged victorious.
Speaking during the celebration, Former military administrator of Taraba and Oyo States, Amen Oyakhire, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, said what was constant is change, adding “PDP is gone.”
According to him, “A coin has two sides. Having seen the side of PDP for 16 years, some of us are tired and yearned for change.”
“Nigeria needs a leader who is respectable, disciplined, incorrupt and knowledgeable. Indiscipline and corruption are two problems of Nigeria and once you find a leader who is knowledgeable and respectable, he may not go to church, but fears God, he would fight indiscipline and corruption and Nigeria would be on the march again, “he said. Also reacting, Mr. Martins Osakue, an Educationist and Chairman, Governing Council of College of Education, Igueben, said Buhari’s victory was expected for any discerning Nigerian.
“Jonathan and the people around him made Buhari to win. People like E. K Clark, Femi Fani-Kayode, Mrs Patience Jonathan and the excessive vituperations of the Niger Delta exmilitants made Buhari the alternative,” he observed
In Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, some of the major areas like Offa garage, Challenge, Geri Alimi, Taiwo, Moraba, Shango, Sabo Oke, Lanjorin, Tanke among others, showed that people trooped out en masse to celebrate the electoral victory of Buhari.
Reports from other major towns in the state like Offa, Omu-Aran, Lafiaji, Patigi, Kaima, Kosubosu, among others, revealed that jubilant people trooped out to the streets to celebrate the electoral victory of the president-elect of the country.
Also, some pubs in the state were full with people celebrating the triumph of the former Head of State. Some of the celebrants who spoke with THISDAY lauded the astuteness of the Independent Electoral Commission(INEC) for conducting a credible, free, fair and peaceful polls for the people of the country.
They said there was no doubt that the country would witness a new dawn in the political history of the country.
In Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, despite efforts by a detachment of soldiers to stop a peaceful rally staged in Jalingo to celebrate the victory of Buhari, the ancient town was night ignited in celebration