Why You Must Vote In The Next Election

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

 Electoral campaigns will soon be here again, after that election of new or old leaders into political offices in the states and federal government. How ready are we, the citizen, for this huge task? I guess the answer will depend on; if we see it as our responsibility to our great nation, or we see it as a favor we are doing the politicians. The politicians are already preparing for the next elections; some have already started campaigning indirectly. Are we the Nigerian citizens preparing for 2019 elections?

 

 

 

 

Just in case you are not aware, you can start your own preparation by registering for your PVC (permanent voters’ card) which is presently going on nationwide. Any one from 18 years old and above is qualified to do so. If you do not have your PVC or you have moved from your former location, it means you will not be able to vote. Kindly go and register. Do not just see this as a duty to your country alone; see it as a duty to yourself and your family.

If you are a parent , you know it is your responsibility to provide for your family, which is why you wake up early in the morning and report to work. If you do not have a paid job, you hustle your way through to make sure you come back home with something reasonable for your children. As a husband and a dad it is your duty to make sure your wife and children are safe, which I believe you are already doing. You should try and provide safety too for your family, by registering to vote a good and responsible leader who is of a sound mind and who will be able to discharge his or her duty well.

 

For so long in Nigeria, the middle and upper class citizens  abandoned the responsibility of electing leaders into political offices to the very poor and uneducated in the country. This is fine by the politicians, because they can always offer these people crumbs in exchange for votes. They cannot do this to those in the middle or upper class, what they offer is too little, these set of people are very expensive and educated; the money will simply not go round. They will not collect food items in exchange for their votes.

I asked one of my clients if she voted during the last election, she replied “No, I was busy baking cake for my family”. After which she began criticizing the present government, which I think was unnecessary, because she did not even go out to cast her vote to any of the contestants. The middle and the upper class citizens of Nigeria see Election Day as a ‘Sabbath day’ (a day of rest). On this day they sleep away their future, then watch television, and wait for election results to be read.

 

 

 

 

 

Please let’s come together and build our nation. We can begin this by going out to register so as to cast  our votes freely. Join a political party of your choice, create time to attend ward meetings at least once in a month. Get involved in the primaries within your party, so that we can at least have good options; instead of being presented with two or three candidates by these political parties who may not qualify for the offices they aspire for. Even if the candidates you vote for does not win, the winners will be people who can do their jobs well.

Do not live your destiny, the destiny of our great nation and that of your children in the hands of those who will sell them for a pack of indomie or for ℵ1000.00. Let’s take back Nigeria and make it the way we want her to be. Why relocate and become a second class citizen in another land when you can rebuild yours and make it very comfortable.

 

 

 

 

Written by
Vera Aigbonoga