Our votes will count

Another opportunity has come begging for us to change the course of our nationhood for good. Another chance to choose those who are best fit for the management of our affairs and laying a solid foundation for the coming generations. The best we can do for ourselves now is to come out massively and vote for competent, visionary and healthy leaders.

Hardly has Nigeria ever recorded 50 per cent turnout of registered voters during elections. Our attitude towards electing our leaders is very poor and we expect to have good leaders. The power to choose those we want as our leaders is in our hands. If we choose to stay away from voting due to the erroneous belief that votes do not count or that the power that be already knows those who will emerge as winners, we are only giving chances to misfits to lead us.  

Voting for competent and dedicated leaders is very important to us as a country now than ever. The next four years are enough to build refineries to solve our fuel, kerosene, diesel, cooking gas and aviation fuel perennial problems. The next four years are enough to build power plants and renewable energy to solve our electricity problem and many other things.  

Nation building is not as difficult as our crop of leaders makes it to look. The difference between Nigeria and the developed countries is leadership.  

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Dear Nigerians, with the evolution of our electoral system, I am happy to inform you that our votes will count on February 25 and March 11. I am sure because there is a game changer in our electoral system. The Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) technology introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will bring sanity to our electoral system.  

No eligible voter will be disenfranchised.

Dear compatriots, when considering your choice of candidates, please, rise above tribal, ethnic and religious sentiments. Do not choose your leaders because you are of the same tribe, ethnic group and/or religion. Let competence be your yardstick.  

If you are a registered voter and you have your permanent voter’s card, it is your civic responsibility to vote. If you choose apathy, we will be led by whoever emerges. This will hurt us all.  

The power to see the Nigeria of our dream is in our hands. Vote, do not fight. 

Adewale Qudus Lawal resides in Lagos [email protected]