Residents desert Abuja

By ISAIAH ABRAHAM, Abuja
Posted: Saturday, April 9, 2011

Ahead of today's election, civil servants deserted their offices yesterday as they joined several other Abuja residents in a mass exodus out of the nation's capital to their various home states to be part of the decision on those to represent them at the Senate and the National Assembly.
Consequently, various motor parks experienced upsurge of passengers scrambling for available vehicles to their various destinations.
A civil servant who refused to disclose his name simply told the New Nigerian Weekly that he registered to vote at his Ekiti home state and had to travel so he could vote.
He explained that voting was important for him because he does not want anybody to elect a representative for him, adding that it does not matter if the candidate of his choice does not win but it matters to him if he failed to vote.
Another traveller who simply gave his name as Suleiman said he was on his way to Katsina where he registered saying he has a candidate in today's election and had to travel to support him with his vote.
A driver plying Lokoja Abuja route said although there was an upsurge in the turn-out of passengers transport fare were not increased, saying they still collect the normal fare but that it had been good business for transporters at the park.