“I go my polling unit, di queue dey long so I join di queue afta I don check di verification list and I see my name, I find somewhere sit down to wait for my turn. Den I hear gunshot.”
Na so Madam Bina Jennifer Efidi tok as she narrate wetin happun wen she go vote over di weekend for di presidential and parliamentary elections.
Fotos of Madam Bina Jennifer Efidi wit her bloody and battered eyes for her polling unit for Lagos state, as she dey cast her vote bin trend over di weekend. Pipo bin dey hail and encourage her determination to come back to vote despite say she suffer attack.
For dis exclusive interview wit BBC Pidgin, narrate to BBC how di mata take happun and why she go back go vote even afta di incident.
‘I hear di sound of gunshot’
Efidi tok say di experience na wetin she no expect as di polling unit no far from her house and dem no dey record violence for di polling station.
“I go my polling unit, di queue dey long so I join di queue afta I don check di verification list and I see my name, I find somewia sit down to wait for my turn.
“Afta sometimes, some group of boys waka come wia we queue, dem dey di opposite side of wia I siddon dey tok, dem later comot. Meanwhile, di voting process still dey go on smoothly.
“E no tey like 30 minutes later, I just feel one huge impact on my face like say dem throw me sometin, Instantly, I hear gunshot, I tink say dem shoot me, say gun hit me. Pipo dey run to hide, I just hold my face and I feel blood dey flow for my hand. I dey shout for help but pipo just waka pass me.
“I gatz waka go one compound, na one lady wey dey live for my street come later help. She bin use handkerchief to apply pressure for di place wey blood dey gush comot. We dey shout for help, but pipo dey run dey try close dia doors.
I later enta pesin room and dem say make I call my husband but I dey fear make dem no go harm my husband as di boys still dey shoot. She carry me go anoda compound, pipo dey try stop di bleeding. Na some brave men later carry me go one nurse for di street to help stop di bleeding.”
Efidi add say sake of di plenty blood wey she don lose and she don dey weak, her husband later carry her go hospital for proper medical attention.
Dem stitch her for four to five places as di cuts dey very deep and give her injections and medicine.
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‘Why I go back to cast my vote’
“I know say my vote fit make a difference and I want make my vote count.”
Dis na wetin Efidi tok afta she return from hospital wit her battered face and she still go cast her vote afterwards.
She say as she comot for house, she see say pipo still dey vote as normalcy don return to di area.
“Even wit my bruises and pain, I still wan cast my vote. I just get will and determination to vote”. She add.
Efidi say she dey disappointed wit di development because security officials no dey dia polling unit as thugs come destroy di exercise,
“Dem throw away ballot boxes, maybe if security agents dey, e for make dem fear but na only us dey.”
She say dat one still no stop dem wey get passion, wey see am as responsibility to vote.
How pipo react
Many pipo don describe Edifi as heroine afta her encounter for di hand of Jaguda pipo for her polling unit on election day.
Dem condemn di attack and hail her bravery to still go ahead and cast her vote wit di injury.
Efidi say she don receive calls from many Nigerians within and outside di kontri wey show concern since di incident happun.
Fellow Nigerians, I am in awe of your tenacity and resilience. The reports have been inspirational!
I celebrate your commitment and would like to highlight this incredible act by Efidi Bina Jennifer. She is a super trouper and a picture of our determination to see a new Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/EbvenoYIkH— Frank Nweke Jr (@FrankNwekeII) February 25, 2023
It is so sad to see the violence and intimidation that has ravaged the process of choosing our next president at the just concluded presidential elections.
Mrs Bina Jennifer Efidi was a victim of the usual election thuggery that has plagued us for over 2 decades. pic.twitter.com/HFwHd6keYW
— Funke Akindele (@funkeakindele) February 26, 2023
I am moved by the tenacity and patriotism displayed by Jennifer Efidi Bina who despite her serious physical injury insisted and finally returned to cast her vote with blood dribbling from her face.
It is so sad that citizens should have to go through so much to exercise their pic.twitter.com/SFN0JgPgOy— Prof. Joy N. Ezeilo (OON) (@NgoziEzeilo) February 26, 2023
Efidi Bina Jennifer is an Obidient hero. Bless her and bless Nigeria. #PeterObiForPresident https://t.co/jcpB3DVVlT
— Dr. Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) February 26, 2023
Efidi add say if her preferred candidate no win, even afta di stress she pass through she no mind as dat na God will.
But if her candidate win, she no say plenty tins go change for beta for di kontri.
