It was a mixed feeling in Kaduna metropolis as President Muhammadu Buhari
was declared winner of the presidential election by the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
In the Muslim-dominated northern part of Kaduna metropolis,
it was celebration galore as residents of the area, mainly supporters of the
All Progressives Congress (APC), took to the streets in jubilation as soon as
Buhari was declared winner.
A resident of Kurmin Mashi, who identified herself
simply as Ummi, said the celebrations started by 1:00a.m. yesterday.
She said the area was agog with celebration which
lasted till dawn.
She said; “We did not sleep at all with the
celebration of Buhari’s victory. These people were going from house to house,
disturbing people and knocking on our gates in the name of celebration. They
didn’t allow us to sleep.”
The situation was said to have been the same in areas like
Angwan Sarki, Tudun Wada, Rigassa, Angwan Dosa, Kawo among several others.
The city centre was deserted yesterday as most shops were yet
to open since Saturday’s election.
The area was therefore taken over by the celebrants
who drove round some of the streets in
convoy of cars and motorcycles with party music
from loud speakers mounted on a vehicle.
Some of them were seen driving dangerously on
motorcycles and cars, without regards to traffic rules and regulations.
Many shops in the city centre, especially along the
busy Ahmadu Bello Way, Independence Way, Lagos Street and Katsina road among
others, had been closed since after Saturday’s elections.
However, in the Christian-dominated southern part
of the metropolis, there was no such celebration as everywhere was quiet and
solemn.
Some residents of the area, especially traders,
stayed away from the city centre to “avoid any form of provocation in the name
of celebrating Buhari.”
One of the residents in the area, Clement Joseph, said: “There
is nothing wrong in celebrating your victory, but when you do it provocatively
in other to anger your opponent, it is better to stay away for the sake of
peace.
“Some of us didn’t go to the town because we want to avoid
such provocation.”
Also, some people said the fear of the outcome of the
election and the recent killings in a community in Kajuru Local Government Area
of Kaduna State made them not to open their shops.
Kalu Mba, a textile dealer, said the fear of the violence
after the election results as well as the recent killings in Kajuru created
fears, and people were not ready to open their shops.
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