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As rightly said by Jim Collins; “whether you prevail or fail, endure or die, depends more on what you do to yourself than on what the world does to you”.
Today Kogi State is battling with a self inflicted menace, the mother of all monsters and woes, the evil of money politics, sales of votes and every other sins of electoral frauds. this are indeed the mother of all our institutional problems today.
Since the inception of democracy in 1999, our political leadership at all levels, have made too little of an impact in the advancement of the socio-economy of our dear nation. Trillions are passed in budget yearly, with little to show as improvement of the plight of the masses. We have bastardized credible elections in Nigeria; from the councillorship through the chairmanship to the top, including gubernatorial and the presidential elections. We, the youth have consciously continually ruined opportunities to lift ours and project the general society’s plight; by continually trading the very power and right granted to us by the constitution to vote credible candidate who speak hope to the plight of the masses with the political will to fulfill our collective aspirations into office.
I am of the opinion that no man of genuine interest of his people at heart will buy or attempt to buy the vote of another person. It is an insult to think our vote is for sale. Many selfish and unkind persons have gotten to political office today, because you and I sold our votes at some point. So what moral right do we really have to accuse them of incompetence and embezzlement, when we already sold our constitutional rights of voting for a token?
It is frustrating, disempowering and highly deflating that some youth will not only sell their votes in the forthcoming election , but will try to intimidate and coarse others into doing so. Some will even go as far as snatching ballot boxes containing the votes of other people. After such election, the condition and welfare of these unyouthful youth is still below poverty line.
I am of the opinion that our youthfulness should benefit the society. By making sure we do not participate in this despicable acts, by making sure elections in Nigeria are “One Man, One Vote, One Woman, One Vote, One Youth, One Vote” The future of our Nation and that of our Democracy and Progress lies in our hands. If we the youth continue to avail ourselves to office-seekers for despicable acts, to get meager rewards, then we must be ready to mortgage our future for such meager rewards.
I have come up with some recommendations as possible solutions in our bid to safeguard our future, that of our Nation, and to ensure the progress and steady development of our society, by making a difference to be totally responsible and doing the right thing in every elections.
1. NEVER SELL YOUR VOTE: It is utterly graceless to exchange four years of Peace and Progress for a day’s meal. In fact, it is a shame. Our votes are our passport to the Kogi of our dream, and the Nigeria we can be proud of. We must learn to say ‘No’ to their petty gifts they use to influence our votes. We must no longer sell our permanent voters cards or even listen to them when they come with all sorts of irredeemable promises and propaganda; For example, it is only a Nigerian politician that will promise to build bridges where there are no rivers. We must be able to see beyond their gifts and lies. Elections should not be a period we plan to make money; it should be a period to decide the future of the people and the state irrespective of party affiliation.
2. ALWAYS PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS: Politics is too serious and essential to be left to the politicians. I subscribe to the school or thought that says you “you do not have the right to complain if you do not participate in the election” so I urge all the youths of kogi state to please develope as much interest they have in football for politics, there is power in numbers and there is power in opposition. form an association that stands for the people. During electioneering process, it is not enough to just cast your votes, you must wait till the votes are counted. You must protect your votes. It is not the voting that is democracy; it is the counting. As youth, we should be defenders of the Nigerian Democracy, whether in Kogi or Sokoto. We must ensure the smooth and transparency of the process in our locality, because elections here and there are what make up the whole process.
3. ACCEPT POLL RESULT OR SEEK REDRESS ACCORDINGLY :It is no gain-say that elections in Nigeria are a moral horror, as bad as a battle except for the blood. Making a difference means implementing the earlier two recommendations, and moving further to accepting poll results. You are not the only person to choose a leader, so if the person you have faith in loses at the poll, accept the democratic verdict. But if you have evidence of fraud and malpractice, instead of confrontations and fights, which could lead to chaos and unrest, you can seek redress. In this case, you can petition the electoral tribunal or approach the court of law. If we must make a difference, we must be law-abiding and these are the legal measures of addressing electoral contentions.
In conclusion, my friend, we must break the walls of money-politic which has barricaded us from reaching our full potentials of Peace and progress. No society grows without the vivid and continuous contributions of its youth, particularly in relations to electing leaders and governance in general. We cannot get the best out of governance if we continue to maintain status-quo. So I implore us to be the change we want to see. To boo pioneers of money-politics whenever they come around.
2019 is close enough. This will be the test of our collective will, in deciding whether or not we are ready to break forth. I ask us to be ready. In every elections, it must be one person, one vote and we must say ‘NO’ to those trying to buy our votes. Only through these can we beat our chests.
– Amb. Aliyu Mahmud
Convener, Concerned Kogites
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