People all over Africa’s largest populated country, Nigeria, have voted for their next president. However, a lot of conflicts has erupted during this time period, instilling uncertainty in the country’s future. 

There were three prominent candidates running in Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election: Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress; Peter Obi of the Labor Party, and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party.

All was going well until armed men ransacked the voting booths and commenced with shooting those who tried to vote. According to africanews.com, “People screamed and scattered, searching for cover, as armed men jumped out of a minibus and grabbed ballot boxes.”

According to BBC News, “There were also videos on social media showing voter intimidation and ballot-snatching, and violence at some polling stations, especially in the biggest state, Lagos – won by Mr. Obi in a blow to Mr. Tinubu.” 

These problems implied that whatever party’s candidate would be elected president would cause chaos and disarray in the country as a whole. In early March, it was announced that Tinubu, a candidate accused of corruption, would be Nigeria’s next president. 

I, as a child of Nigerian immigrants, got my parents’ take on the election results. My father sees inconsistencies in Tinubu’s background. 

“Bola is a controversial figure because we cannot clarify if he went to school. He claimed he went to Chicago State University, yet we cannot validify his attendance at the school,” my father said.

There were other issues. According to CNN.com, “Critics say he did not convincingly address concerns about his health, and, at times, appeared confused and incoherent on the campaign trail. He also made gaffes that have made him the butt of jokes and viral memes on social media.”

This election differed from most, for not only was there a large turnout in votes overall, but also a strong youth vote. The Labor Party candidate, Obi, was highly favored among young people, so much protesting erupted when he was not elected the victor of this election.

According to CNN.com, “During the presidential campaigns, the Labor Party candidate Peter Obi became popular among young voters because of his focus on addressing issues like economic inequality, unemployment, education, healthcare and poverty and the need for transparency and accountability in government.”

My father agreed.

“People came out in large numbers to vote because they want to see changes. Peter Obi’s movement is like a revolution for the youth who want to `take the stage,’ ” he said said.  

As former citizens of Nigeria, my parents are displeased with the results yet unsurprised by the continuous patterns of deceit within the voting polls. 

“There is no election conducted in Nigeria that will never be free and fair,” my father said. 

Sixty-two years after colonization, a country should not be this politically fragmented.