To begin with, the electioneering campaings for 2023 general elections will officially begin on the 28th day of September, 2022 which will be 150 days away from the general elections. The election proper will begin on the 25th of February, 2023 barring any last minute changes starting with Presidential and National Assembly elections.
In my observation, our political campaings from at least 2014 to- date at all levels have been more of campaings of “calumny”, “slander”, “smear”, and “character assassination” instead of issues -based. In addition, issues; such as: “region” or “zoning” or “religion” or “tribe” or “age” or “certificates” and or “nationality” of candidates often dominate our political discuss. Our campaings are often dominated by hate speeches and inciteful statements by our politicians.
More worrisome is the fact that some sections of the “media” which are supposed to moderate the “campaings” in order to be issues- based are in most cases the very “avenues” of promoting campaings of calumny, slander, smear, and hatred in our dear country. The role being played by the agencies set aside to sanction offenders needed must to be desired.
It is an incontrovertible fact that insecurity, inflation, unemployment, and poverty are the main issues in the polity. These problems do not discriminate among Nigerians based on either “region” or zone” or “religion” and or “tribe”.
Our electorates at all levels seem not to bother about candidates’ economic ideology and or model which are very critical in influencing voters in other climes. You need to stabilize the economy for you to stabilize the polity. The voters need to know which way? Capitalist ? Or Socialist? Or Welfarist? And why will each be preferred to one another?
In my view, we need leaders who based on their track records of achievements have the “ability” to tackle the problems of insecurity, inflation, unemployment and poverty which do not discriminate among Nigerians regardless of their so-called differences.
However, no politician should only tell us that he or she will provide jobs or eradicate poverty or grow the economy at 6% or reduce inflation rate to 9% or end banditry or kidnappings and or terrorism, but he or she should tell us how to realistically achieve it so that we could compare notes. Let us know what has not be done and how he or she will do it in order to get a better result.
The electorates must be aware of the fact that It is not just enough for politicians to identify failures. Identifying failure is neither something very difficult nor a rocket science. In fact is it the easiest thing to do by all and sundry. The dullest person in the society could identify a failure, but only the most competent can provide innovative solutions.
We need politicians with innovative solutions. It is high time we challenge all candidates at all levels to provide their policy documents, programmes, and blueprints so that we could compare notes. We must continue to ask our politicians to tell us how to turn things around so that we could compare notes.
For us to get it right, we must shun voting based on “sentiments” or “emotions” and or “anger” and or “personal gain”. The electorates should know the track records of achievements of all politicians canvassing for their votes either as “political office holders” or “public servants” or private sector employees and or as self-employed and grade them accordingly.
May God bless Nigeria!
