The 2019 General elections are fast approaching. Though we are in 2017 there are only 547 days till the next election. For the first time the Independent National Electoral Commission has embarked on a truly Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) process. You can walk into any voter registration centre, on any week day (except public holidays) between 9am and 3pm and GET REGISTERED (find out more at www.getregisterednaija.com). So you may ask, why should I get registered? Someone will say ‘wetin concern me?’; another will say, ‘Me I no like politics o!’; yet another will say, ‘Even if we vote dem go do wetin them wan do’! However I have come to let you know that you need to be an active participant in the Nigerian electoral process. It is the only way you can effect any sort of change in this country and truly achieve the nation of our dreams. Over the next few weeks we will look at some reasons why you should get registered.
ENSURES BETTER GOVERNANCE
When leaders know that they won their elections via the people they sit up and perform better because they know the same people can boot them out. However, when the electorate is not significantly involved leaders emerge by all manner of means which means their loyalty will be to those means and not the people. Why do so many steal government money? There are a myriad of reasons but one of the most significant is that they want to be reelected. At a two-day Learning Conference on the Regional Cost of Politics held in Abuja after the 2015 General Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that an estimated N1 trillion was spent by the INEC, political parties and candidates for the 2015 elections (http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/2015-election-cost-n1-trillion-inec/). This is ridiculous and some other estimates put the figure in the region of two trillion naira. It is very sad and unfortunate that the Academic Staff Union of Universities has gone on an indefinite strike. More upsetting is the fact that the whole strike would be needless if half of the money spent to elect politicians 2015 was given to ASUU to allow our tertiary institutions to function consistently and professionally. It is only logical that those who spend this money will want to recoup it back. When you choose to vote and not allow your vote to be bought you tell politicians that their money won't get your vote. This will eventually make these political office holders want to work harder because they know that they cannot win without performance. Much of the high profile individuals arrested for corruption cases between 2015 and 2017 have been related to campaign funds for the 2015 General elections. When you get registered and vote you frustrate those intending to manipulate the system. If the elected leader performs below par he gets booted out by voters. Because the leaders know that meeting the demands of the people is the only way to get back into office the focus will be on delivering the dividends of democracy to the electorate and that is how the governance of the country will improve.
If you complain and complain on social media, to your family and friends and even on television it does no good if you don’t vote. It’s akin to someone who is ill complaining about his illness but refusing to go to the hospital. What do you think will be the outcome for such an individual? It’s time to stop complaining and time to let Nigerian politicians know that power belongs to the citizens and we will only elect those who will serve our interest. If you have not yet registered, you are only making mouth ooooo!
So if you haven’t registered, IT’S TIME TO GET REGISTERED! Download the Getregistered Naija App at www.getregisterednaija.com NOW to get all your questions answered!
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