2 weeks left to the Nigerian 2015 presidential elections. Many speculations are in the air on who will win, but we have one problem: most Nigerians are good at playing sentimental politics, voting for candidates based on sentiments, culture, religion etc. The more we keep going this direction, there is no way out for us. We envy developed countries like the United States, United Kingdom and so on, but do we think those countries got there in a flash, it all took hard work, but not government hard work rather, hard work of the people making the right decision and voting based on the situation of the country and what they actually need.
Israeli election comes up in a day, but if we look at some recent survey results, we see that the Likud party is falling back, why is that? Is it because the Likud party candidate Benjamin Netanyahu (Bibi) has not performed well as Israeli Prime Minister?
My answer to that would be no, rather the people felt they needed a kind of change; yes, Bibi tried as much to make Israel very secure and protect it from every perceived threat, but the citizens felt that they needed more in terms of economy and other social welfare, the Israeli economy was beginning to fall behind. So, most people feel the opposition can change this, because their manifesto happens to carry a lot of economic incentives and benefits which can revive the economy and improve the standards or living of the people.
Most times when a Nigerian is asked whom he or she supports in the upcoming election, the answers you would get are not so pleasing, some would say they are voting for Goodluck Jonathan (PDP), who is the current president, not because he has done anything, but because they do not want the opposition Rtd. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari who comes from the northern part of Nigeria to rule, number one reason being his religion, even if he has life changing offer for the citizen of Nigeria, most people will tell you that they do not care, this is saddening.
We should learn to cast our votes and supports based on a party’s or candidates manifesto and not based on ethnic, religious differences; by the way Nigeria is a secular state and not a Christian or Muslim state as most people perceive it to be.
Come March 2015, legitimate citizens of Nigeria should go to the polls and cast their votes wisley and remember, one man one vote.
Daniel OPARA
