Este post é parte de nossa cobertura especial das Eleições na Nigéria 2011 [en].

Os nigerianos votaram ontem [en] na terceira eleição presidencial desde que a nação passou para o governo civil em 1999. Até o momento, as eleições têm sido consideradas um sucesso, com apenas alguns casos esporádicos de violência e irregularidades [en]. Fontes reportaram um grande comparecimento da população, filas organizadas e eleitores esperando pelo fechamento das urnas para garantir que os votos fossem contados.

Como a maior nação africana e como um grande fornecedor internacional de petróleo, a Nigéria ganha atenção durante o período de votações. As eleições anteriores de 2003 e 2007 foram marcadas por fraudes e violência; como resultado, grandes expectativas foram depositadas nas eleições deste ano.

Os votos das eleições parlamentares são contados no estado de Oyo

O presidente interino Goodluck Johnathan, ex-vice-presidente que assumiu a presidência do país depois da morte de seu predecessor no ano passado, é considerado o favorito; seu competidor mais próximo é Muhammadu Buhari, que governou o país brevemente na década de 1980. Outros candidatos são o ex-chefe anti-corrupção Nuhu Ribadu e o governador do estado de Kanu Ibrahim Shekarau, além de outros 16 outros candidatos de partidos menores.

Resultados oficiais são esperados na segunda-feira. Para mais informações, confira a página especial do GV para as Eleições da Nigéria [en].

Informações das urnas

No Bella Naija [en], Chiedu Ifeozo escreveu [en] como ele mudou de opinião quanto às eleições na Nigéria. Ele disse que, apesar de ter votado em “todas as eleições que houve enquanto morei na Inglaterra”, em sua terra natal, a Nigéria, ele “simplesmente não via motivo”, por conta da assunção predominante de que ‘os votos nigerianos não contam’ e de que ‘os vencedores já foram escolhidos’. Mas, como muitos jovens nigerianos, Ifeozo mudou de ideia e foi às urnas nestas eleições.

Regardless of the cynicism, there has been renewed vigor among the people of my generation regarding the 2011 elections. Various youth coalition groups have gone all out to show that it isn’t only ‘cool’ to vote but have gone as far as giving insight into exactly who was running for the various offices by performing online polls, organizing a debate, and even developing web and mobile applications for easy monitoring of the elections through citizen reports. Through these processes, the candidates became more than just names and faces on campaign posters. They became the possible agents of change my country needed.

Ele então deu um passo-a-passo [en] de sua experiência no dia da votação:

1.04pm: When it was my turn, my heart was beating a little fast, I can’t lie. We had been educated on how to correctly complete the process for our votes to count, and I didn’t want to make a mistake, certainly not at the last moment. I handed the official my registration card, and he passed it to another official while he searched for my name on the list. When he found it, he put some ink on my right thumb and ushered me to the female NYSC personnel from earlier, who tore out two separate ballot sheets folded them and stamped some information on the back. She then wrote some details as well before handing it over to me and then directed me to the polling booth, a white folded stand with visors on both sides to prevent anyone from seeing me make my choice. I made towards the ballot boxes, one for the senate and the other for the House of Representatives, put my ballot sheets through the slot and I was done. I had voted for the first time, and honestly the first thing that crossed my mind was, “that wasn’t so bad now was it”.

Ele concluiu [en]:

5.15pm: I saw the result of my polling unit on the internet. My lips stretched into a smile….. “this is is the beginning of a new day for my country.”

Agente eleitoral nigeriano. Foto cortesia de Damisi Pikuda

Num post intitulado “A different kind of war” (ou “Um tipo diferente de guerra”), Salisu Suleiman escreveu [en] sobre como as eleições interrompem o dia-a-dia:

All schools were closed down. No form of teaching or learning took place for the duration. When it was discovered that the private school the president’s children attend did not close down along with others, public outcry forced it to close down also. After the initial two weeks, an extension was sought and granted. So for an entire month, all primary and secondary schools in the whole country were shut. Even in tertiary institutions, not much activity took place.

In that one month period, every Nigerian aged 18 and above was practically drafted to put down their names and fingerprints at various centres. Government said it was a civic duty. Preachers harangued citizens on the need to perform this divinely inspired responsibility. Parties tried every trick known and unknown to get people to these centres. Civil society groups made sure they were not left out and they shouted loudly on the need for citizens to participate in the noble exercise. Public holidays were declared in several states to ensure that the details of all eligible citizens were captured. Sophisticated digital equipment, worth over USD 500 million, were imported. At the end of one month of frantic activity, including a week’s extension, over 73 million gallant Nigerians had voluntarily participated in the noble cause.

Imnakoya expressou [en] um otimismo cauteloso compartilhado por muitos na blogosfera:

People came out to vote, voted, and even waited for the votes to be counted, without being intimidated by gun-trotting hoodlums, as was the case 2007. This appears to be the case across most South-western region of the country. This is a significant shift from the last election.

Escrevendo no NigeriansTalk [en], Kunle Durojaiye concordou [en]:

One cannot deny that there is a sense of a wind of change. People voted, and waited behind to witness the counting and collation of votes; media stations ran a live coverage of the elections while it lasted, and very importantly, young people influenced the exercise with the flood of information available via twitter, facebook and blackberry messaging. Without mincing words, change is inevitable, but one just wonders if the stage is truly set.

Read election day diary [en], (ou “Leitura do diário da eleição”), do Autor do Global Voices Nwachukwu Egbunike, que descreve seu dia na Seção de Votação em Agbowo, Ibadan, estado de Oyo.

As eleições parlamentares da Nigéria ocorreram no sábado, 9 de abril. As eleições presidenciais ocorreram em 16 de abril. A votação para os governadores estaduais está agendada para 26 de abril.

Este post é parte de nossa cobertura especial das Eleições na Nigéria 2011 [en].