Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Peter Obi, Monday, visited Jennifer Efidi, the woman in a viral video who was stabbed in the head and face by political thugs during the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.
The attack took place at Surulere, Lagos, while she was on the queue to cast her ballot.
Despite the severity of her injuries, she insisted on voting while blood was dripping from her face.
Obi sympathised with the victim and urged her and all those who suffered similar fate not to despair.
“My point of contact with every Nigerian who suffered a similar fate in their bid to exercise their voting rights, and contribute to a new Nigeria.”
The Labour Party candidate later shared the pictures of his visit on his Twitter handle.
Narrating her experience to Obi, the victim said: “I went out with my daughter to cast my vote at Dipo Olubi Street in Surulere, like every other Nigerian. When I got there, I got verified and joined the queue waiting to vote. I later went to sit down because the line wasn’t moving due to some disorderly people smuggling themselves into it.
“After sitting for some time, some boys appeared, and they looked scary. It was obvious they didn’t come to vote. They were not close to us at the time, but a bit away from where the queue was. The boys were discussing, and I could see that some people who knew them went to join them. Meanwhile, the voting process was still ongoing. After about 45 minutes, I felt a huge impact on my face and heard the sound of a gunshot.
“To be sincere, I thought I had been shot. I thought the impact I felt on my face was from a bullet. People started running, and so I stood up, placed my hand on my face, and felt blood. I started screaming for help. People who saw me calling for help fled in the opposite direction. I later ran into the building where voting was taking place.
“Someone later came to help me by using a handkerchief to apply pressure to my face in an attempt to stop the bleeding. We remained inside the building until the boys left. I was later able to receive first aid treatment from a nearby nurse. In the video that went viral, you will see her giving me an injection to stop the bleeding. I was then taken to a nearby hospital, where the cuts on my face were stitched. I suffered deep cuts.”
Ikengaonline reports that Jennifer Efidi returned to vote after being treated.
