Youth, unemployed, others besiege newspaper stands to discuss Saturday’s polls

Issues on presidential and National Assembly elections dominated discussions of free newspaper readers in Ojota, Lagos, on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that increased number of the free newspaper readers gathered at newspaper stands discussing with loud voices.

Some of the free readers were dressed for church but stopped to get a glimpse of news headlines.

The majority of them are youths.

They expressed different opinions on elections and argued on some issues such as introduction of voter card reader and extension of voting time, but generally said that the polls were peaceful, free and fair.

Some of them commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for introducing the card reader, while others said that the technology was posed some challenges.

According to some of the free readers, more measures should be taken to ensure safety in riverine areas.

A pharmacist, Mr Paul Eze, urged INEC to train its ad hoc workers on the use of the card readers for improvement in the governorship and state Houses of Assembly polls on April 11.

Eze said that the commission should address late arrival of electoral officers and materials at polling centres.

A civil servant, Mr Adejobi Adigun, said that the conduct of the elections so far showed that Nigerians had become wiser and were willing to develop the country’s democracy.