Voting without a hitch, peaceful, quick procedure, professional staff of the Independent National Electoral Commision. Card readers malfunction, violence outbursts, shooting, rigging, late arrival of election materials. While Nigeria continues voting and we wait if, indeed, the results would be announced “within 48 hours” as initially promised, we asked Naij.com readers how they estimate the INEC’s performance in their respective polling stations during the elections. Below are their responses.

Positive overviews graded the job done by the commission presided by Professor Attahiru Jega as superb, excellent, well done, 8/10, A1, 90%, fair, thumbs-up for Prof Jega.

Aminu Hammanseyo: Prof Jega has really tried! In fact, 90% of human efficiency, since humans are not perfect.

Michael Abur: The whole exercise is good. In my own case, it did not take card reader five seconds to pass me. We should perfect the system in the future.

Abubakar Saidu: It was perfect in my state Katsina.

Marcie Adams: The best performance so far in the history of democracy in Nigeria. Not perfect, but I am hopeful that the next man after Jega improves on this because he would have a solid platform to stand on. Jega deserves a National Award.

Obayino Kennedy: Apart from few sabotage attempts and hiccups experienced in Rivers and few other polling units across the country, the INEC has done a marvellous job this time around. Prof Jega and Humphrey Nwosu are the best electoral umpire of this generation. Prof! You are the most credible person I’ve ever seen among our bourgeois. Prof Jega is more credible than all the APC members and their supporters, all the PDP members and their supporters, and most of our pastors and imams.

Jauro Sadiq: This is best election so far, next to June 12 in terms of credibility.

Luka Samuel: Prof Jega is the best INEC chairman Nigeria has ever had for introducing card readers. Though the card readers failed in some places, it is still the best option for now. Anybody who is against the INEC must depend strongly on rigging. Overall efficiency rating 80%.

Abubakar Salisu Sadiq: The INEC has performed well in Kaduna state.

Swahir Kabir Nurah Walie: If we had gotten a man like Jega earlier, Nigeria would have gotten a 100% free and fair election. It was smooth and organized, kudos to you, Jega. We need a man like you.

Apena Taobatu Abolore: This card reader strategy is meant for our politicians to wake up to their responsibilities. It will change Nigeria to a better country, because if politicians don’t live up to expectations, with the use of card readers voters will vote them out.

Evans Osoba: We are only few years old in all these democratic affairs. We are really growing. And I congratulate the INEC and FG for this wonderful development.

Roland Amaecchi: The INEC did well. It was the best election so far in Nigeria, with two powerful candidates. Even the United States were once in our today’s conditions. All I know is that we will get there when our international passport and driving license will be accepted as our voters cards, just like in the US.

Ahmed Yahaya: The practice of Nigerian election is now taking shape. Another eight years for Jega.

Believe A Ofeke: Splendid, excellent in Ndokwa East.

Gwomi E Bulus Dutse: Commendable, despite the delay of arrival of the electoral officers in some polling units, some technical and human mistakes that have lead to time-wasting and the delay. I want to also thank Nigerians who were able to leave what they do for survival to exercise their civic duties through voting into power their choice, without minding how our political leaders have failed us. That is a sign our nation is moving forward technologically, morally, politically, socially.

There’s a room for improvement

Many commentators acknowledged the efforts of the INEC staff by saying the quality of the exercise was above average, an improvement in comparison with previous years. Along with expressing gratitude, these respondents noted that there still was “room for a yet better performance” because of some drawbacks.

Hanson Umana Sam: I will score INEC average in the sense that the problem of logistics remains unsolved. The card reader is a new technology, we will overcome the drawbacks in the near future.

Omoh Martins: The INEC had a good concept, but did not make adequate provision for election materials. All these can inflict injuries in the system: having election in some places while some units are watching in dismay. Not having ad hoc staff nor materials, thereby leading to extension. Can the INEC say it’s not aware of the total number of voting units in Nigeria?

Stanley Chinedum: The idea of card readers is good, but the operators were not properly trained which caused delay in accreditation and voting. The INEC should upgrade their system to allow voters to vote from any part of the country irrespective of the place of registration.

Onwudi Christian: Here in Lagos, card readers failed in most of the areas, but I still thank the INEC officials for their alternative ways of accrediting voters to make sure that everybody exercises his or her franchise.

Suleiman Hauwa Dezoy: It was a bit stressful,in short the accreditation and voting was delayed,but I’m not angry about it since I was able to vote my choice candidate.

“Worst election ever”

Some Nigerians described their negative experience and expressed pessimistic prognoses of the election outcome.

Adoh Garba: In my polling unit, there was card reader failure as many fingerprints could not be picked. The process was very slow: an average of five minutes per voter. Only about four hundred voters out of seven hundred were accredited by 3pm, which meant about 300 people were disenfranchised. The INEC needs to improve.

Anietie Assiak: For me, this is the worst election ever in the history of Nigeria. Nigeria has conducted seven preidential elections in its history, never has any spilled to the next day. So much complaints about card readers not working. So much complains about the INEC officers not showing up. So much about disenfranchisement. So much about election result sheet not being available so that a sitting governor (Amaechi) refused to vote. What about the national embarrassment where the president was not recognised by the card reader? These processes must be looked into before governorship election, unless they are deliberate errors by the INEC.

Akolo Akila Anzaku: Very very poor in Plateau state.

Olugbemi Olaolu Akinwunmi: Disenfranchisement! Card reader authentication needs to be improved upon in future election.

Isaiah Chinedu Agboke: Nigeria is getting worse than ever. I am from Ebonyi state, particularly Ebonyi LGA, polling centre code is 006. Here, the INEC officials are partisan, including the security agents. Many of them were bribed by the PDP, and they forced old men and women to thumb print in the PDP because they have full access to the thumb-printing table and box. These many elderly men and women who intended to vote for the Labour Party complained shortly after casting their votes.

Nwana Pius Dere: There was no election in Rivers state, especially in the unit 18 Eete ward 15 Khana local government. No police security, one life lost.

Ndukwe Ndukwe: The INEC was efficient in planning. But when it came to practice, it was rather disappointing as many people were denied their franchise to vote as a result of card reader failure. The INEC could have tested them beforehand to avoid this public embarrassment. Can you imagine that in a polling unit with 200 registered PVCs, only 32 were accredited? Hence, the extension. No election in Nigeria was conducted for two days. Moreover, it is on Sunday that we Christians worship our Lord and Jega knows it. In summary, I think this election should be cancelled in all states in Nigeria as a result of inadequate electoral equipment.

Menezor Geremene: The country called Nigeria and election irregularities! After church today, Sunday, 29th March, 2015, I went back to my polling unit, opposite the University College of Engineering gate in Choba. The election did not take place yesterday (Saturday, 28th March, 2015) as a result of some heavily armed anti-riot policemen and election conducting team (the INEC) who came in and moved away with election materials. I thought the election may continue today (from what I heard on the radio), so that MSG and a whole lot of other Nigerians could vote. But to my greatest surprise, I was told by some politicians that it has been assumed that election was conducted in my unit yesterday. I am disappointed in Nigerian politicians, as this is the worst election ever held in our God-given country Nigeria.

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