The interim chairman, North Central People’s Forum (NCPF), Arc. Gabriel Yakubu Aduku has called for electoral reform as part of Nigeria’s restructuring.
Aduku who is also a former minister of health believes that once the electoral process is streamlined into digitalised mode whereby people can vote from the comfort of their homes every other agitation would be taken care of.
He said it will also discourage electoral violence and allow the people’s choices to come to power.
Aduku indicated that the clamour by many Nigerians for restructuring of the county for things to get better is not out of place saying that in August 2016 precisely, the issue of restructuring struck him and he made a move to make it a reality by putting out ideas.
The chairman however observed that there are quite a number of Nigerian leaders who can lend their input in and make the restructuring an affirmed action but they do not believe in restructuring.
Speaking on why he is clamouring for restructuring in the nation at the age of 77 Aduku said; “Why am I sacrificing myself at 77? What am I looking for? Putting myself all out for all these public reactions and for what? People worry me about the country. why am I worrying myself?
“But for generations that are coming and because I believe also where I come from is an original setting of this country and should not be wiped out by any administration or whatever happens.
“We cannot be wiped out and therefore, every Nigerian society, no matter how small, they have a stake in Nigeria and must be heard and listened to.
“That’s the purpose of democracy. Democracy is for the people and it is the people’s reaction that helps the government to be in place.
“I want to be able to sit in my house and vote and my vote will count and there is absolute need to do so because the technology is there. America went through a rough election but how many polling booths have you heard they overthrew.”
He indicated that the excuse of epileptic electricity is not a barrier as when there is a necessity there is an invention and it is now necessary.
Still talking on the many doubts or excuses for an advanced electoral method not to be adopted in the country, he said that illiteracy is not an excuse either because Nigeria still has a large population of uneducated people saying that uneducated people does not mean unintelligent people.
Aduku said the younger generation can teach the older ones and bring them abreast on all reforms and development.
Speaking on the youths and #EndSARS protest, he said there are a lot of merits in the protest. In the action of the youths and Who ever was behind the Coordination, did a good work.
“I give them credit for it. They are saying the obvious thing and calling on us as a nation to pick that up”.
Calling on all Nigerians to hold firm their roots as that is their unit of identification, Aduku shared that In the interest of every Nigerian, no matter their pocket or identity, if they are concerned about their people, the solution is for them to get back to their grassroot.
Explaining how great it is that Nigeria already has a good structure of 36 states and 744 local governments he further stressed that Within the local governments are the wards and the wards are the last structure.
