Broken Nigerians marched en masse to exercise their right to vote in the just-concluded presidential election. In previous elections, many of these voters would have preferred to kick back on their sofas while browsing polling station activity on their devices. Relentlessly, a mismanaged Buhari government had provoked her tears for the past 8 years, hence her massive turnout in this year’s elections.
In 2007, the voter share fell from 57.4% to 53.7% in 2011. There was another decimation in 2015, when it fell to 43.6% and later to 34.75% in 2019. However, in the 2023 election, 87 million Nigerians had stormed 176,606 polling stations to exercise their right to vote, in an unprecedented high voting rate. What must really have sparked the sudden interest if not the calamities that befell these constituents under the inept government of Muhammadu Buhari.
In the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria was ranked sixth; no thanks to Boko Haram, unknown gunmen, murderous herdsmen, kidnappers and other agents of doom who continue to toil for peace in Nigeria. Unfortunately, Nigeria is no longer sitting on a powder keg; it now lies on an atomic couch while we hope it doesn’t explode.
The 80 million citizens languishing in poverty had made Nigeria the world poverty capital, according to the World Poverty Clock, before India received the inglorious award in March 2022. Perhaps the Austro-British philosopher Karl Popper had the Buhari regime in mind when he said: “Those who promised us paradise on earth never produced anything but hell”.
The “Sai Baba” administration’s anti-corruption crusade was a fictitious one that actually harmed the administration. From former Federation Government Secretary Babachir Lawal’s “N$500 million+” lawn mower scandal, to N$47 billion+ in fraudulent contracts awarded by former Niger Delta Development Commission Executive Director Mr Nsima Ekere, to the N$80 billion fraud of suspended Federation Comptroller General Ahmed Idris and many others; The Buhari-led government was just an unfortunate mistake by gullible Nigerians.
Disregard for the rule of law and anti-human policies have increased over the past eight years. The president’s audacity to show his clear contempt for the rulings of the (top) court in the country sends sorrow down one’s spine. From the scarcity of naira to the fuel shortage, Nigerians have endured truly painful frustrations.
With the massive turnout in the 2023 election, with Nigerians choosing between three main candidates: Bola Tinubu of the APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labor Party, Nigerians are fully aware of the fact that prayers alone No solution to the many problems plaguing the nation can come from political participation and the selection of capable candidates.
Even in the face of political narcissism, intimidation and inconvenience, Nigerians are now braving all odds to go en masse and vote for their preferred candidates. that even one woman who, despite being attacked by thugs and with blood oozing from her face, returned to the polling station to cast her vote. An impressive action and an outstanding message were passed: Nigerians are fully ready to save Nigeria and rewrite its bloody history. Kudos to all the Nigerians who have gone out to vote in the just concluded presidential election, they indeed deserve all the credit they can get. Our country is Nigeria and may it never falter.
Hashim Yussuf Amao tweets about: @LegalBard
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