On-our-responsibility-as-nigerians-to-ensure-peaceful-free-and-fair-elections-the-need-for-a-different-tough-approach
September 7, 2020 | News
ON OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS NIGERIANS TO ENSURE PEACEFUL, FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS - THE NEED FOR A DIFFERENT 'TOUGH' APPROACH
While we are not here to argue back and forth to analyze, to speak for, or against what President Muhammadu Buhari said or didn't say concerning the upcoming General Elections and the bad practice of ballot box snatching, one thing that is imperative, which we all would agree on, is the undeniable fact that it is the patriotic duty and responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian as registered voters, to collectively ensure the need for us as a people, to have a well-disciplined, peaceful, free and fair elections starting from Saturday February 23rd, 2019.
A general election where the issue of ballot boxes being snatched by political party thugs/criminals, whether at gun point or not, are no more, because we have agreed to say no or to tolerate such practices anymore. In most cases, these political thugs who have made themselves 'instruments of evil' in the hands of corrupt and evil politicians, usually arm themselves and shoot sporadically to scare voters and election officials away from Polling Units. And like Festus Keyamu noted in a recent video during a talk show in ChannelsTV, this is nothing short of armed robbery.
When people arm themselves with guns and even cutlasses to snatch ballot boxes and scare voters away, thereby disenfranchising the voters, what else should we call that? Is that not armed robbery? Or what else should we call it? If they snatch ballot boxes with force, and in the process inflict injuries and even kill people, they should get whatever that comes on them - which includes severe punishment. It is high time we, as a people, should take a tough stand on this issue to defend our democratic practices.
So, rather than continue to waste our time and energy to argue what the President said or did not say, let us realize that we have a big problem in our Electoral process, which is this ballot box snatching issue, and there is urgent need for us as a people, to take a different 'tough' approach to address it. It is only in this part of the world that the issue of 'ballot box snatching' has become synonymous with our Electoral practices. You don't hear of such nonsense in other developed societies.
When will we stop hearing about such unhealthy practice in our democracy lexicon? Is it not a shame that some Nigerian elites are even excited and encouraging the practice of ballot box snatching, with their utterances and disposition on this issue? Or are they excited and happy that some criminals are hired by politicians to snatch ballot boxes during elections? Is that the practice in the US, UK, Canada, etc.? It is simply appalling. And because of this very issue, many registered voters are always disenfranchised in past elections, and we usually end up with political leaders that are nothing but square pegs in round holes. Aside the Security Operatives, every Nigerian should also see his or herself as part of those to ensure that we avoid a violent and unfair elections across all boards. People should not hesitate to 'expose and report' any person or group of persons suspected, or directly involved in ridiculing the credibility and integrity of the general elections at all levels.
If we must develop our democracy to warrant good governance and good leadership, then we must be willing to pay the price and not just pointing accusing fingers. No responsible government will sit down and allow political thugs/criminals to disrupt and discredit our Electoral process and general elections. Those political thugs/criminals who say Nigerians should not sleep with their eyes closed or drink peaceful and keep the cup, they too will not have sleep or drink peacefully. They all should be made to pay dearly for their sins against the nation and its people.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes
While we are not here to argue back and forth to analyze, to speak for, or against what President Muhammadu Buhari said or didn't say concerning the upcoming General Elections and the bad practice of ballot box snatching, one thing that is imperative, which we all would agree on, is the undeniable fact that it is the patriotic duty and responsibility of every patriotic Nigerian as registered voters, to collectively ensure the need for us as a people, to have a well-disciplined, peaceful, free and fair elections starting from Saturday February 23rd, 2019.
A general election where the issue of ballot boxes being snatched by political party thugs/criminals, whether at gun point or not, are no more, because we have agreed to say no or to tolerate such practices anymore. In most cases, these political thugs who have made themselves 'instruments of evil' in the hands of corrupt and evil politicians, usually arm themselves and shoot sporadically to scare voters and election officials away from Polling Units. And like Festus Keyamu noted in a recent video during a talk show in ChannelsTV, this is nothing short of armed robbery.
When people arm themselves with guns and even cutlasses to snatch ballot boxes and scare voters away, thereby disenfranchising the voters, what else should we call that? Is that not armed robbery? Or what else should we call it? If they snatch ballot boxes with force, and in the process inflict injuries and even kill people, they should get whatever that comes on them - which includes severe punishment. It is high time we, as a people, should take a tough stand on this issue to defend our democratic practices.
So, rather than continue to waste our time and energy to argue what the President said or did not say, let us realize that we have a big problem in our Electoral process, which is this ballot box snatching issue, and there is urgent need for us as a people, to take a different 'tough' approach to address it. It is only in this part of the world that the issue of 'ballot box snatching' has become synonymous with our Electoral practices. You don't hear of such nonsense in other developed societies.
When will we stop hearing about such unhealthy practice in our democracy lexicon? Is it not a shame that some Nigerian elites are even excited and encouraging the practice of ballot box snatching, with their utterances and disposition on this issue? Or are they excited and happy that some criminals are hired by politicians to snatch ballot boxes during elections? Is that the practice in the US, UK, Canada, etc.? It is simply appalling. And because of this very issue, many registered voters are always disenfranchised in past elections, and we usually end up with political leaders that are nothing but square pegs in round holes. Aside the Security Operatives, every Nigerian should also see his or herself as part of those to ensure that we avoid a violent and unfair elections across all boards. People should not hesitate to 'expose and report' any person or group of persons suspected, or directly involved in ridiculing the credibility and integrity of the general elections at all levels.
If we must develop our democracy to warrant good governance and good leadership, then we must be willing to pay the price and not just pointing accusing fingers. No responsible government will sit down and allow political thugs/criminals to disrupt and discredit our Electoral process and general elections. Those political thugs/criminals who say Nigerians should not sleep with their eyes closed or drink peaceful and keep the cup, they too will not have sleep or drink peacefully. They all should be made to pay dearly for their sins against the nation and its people.
Zik Gbemre.
We Mobilize Others to Fight for Individual Causes as if Those Were Our Causes