What Are We Voting For?

Tomorrow, on February 25th, we Nigerians go out to elect the next president of our nation as well as other leaders across various leadership positions in our country. I think before we step out to vote we must ask ourselves one questions?

What are we voting for?

Are you voting for an individual? For a political party? For Nigeria? Are you voting on the basis of set of ideals, or on a values system? Are you voting for a vision? Do you have a vision for Nigeria or are you merely voting to escape Egypt, with no hope for a land flowing with milk and honey.

As you take to the ballots, what do you know about the candidates? What are their strengths and their weaknesses?

Nigeria is confronted with many issues that need solving, to list a few; insecurity, economic frailty, rising poverty mixed with increased cost of living and a rising population, poor infrastructure, poor education, division and many more. Contrary to all our hopes and dreams no one leader will solve all of these in four years or even eight, so you have to decide, what is most important to you? and which candidate can deal most swiftly with what you consider most urgent?

Nigeria, however, is in a very unique circumstance and this cannot be the only things that factor into our vote. Nigeria has been steeped in corruption since her independence, corruption that has led to gross mismanagement of funds We must therefore look at the records of each candidate and their previous administrations.

Religion has been a major factor in Nigeria, from our emergence as a non-military nation, it has been an unspoken rule that leadership will switch from Christian to Muslim and that a Christian candidate will have a Muslim Vice and vica-versa. Whether that should be the case in an ideal Nigeria is a question we must answer. Even if we agree it should not be the case, should that decision be taken by one individual. The emergence of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in this election in many corridors has been considered an affront to our religious unity.

Next I’d ask if you consider a vote for sentiment a wasted vote. Should your vote speak to our unity. Tribal division has been a major factor in our democratic process but since our independence only one of our heads of state have been Igbo, Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi - who was head of state for a mere 194 days. Will it speak volumes and sow a seed of unity to elect an Igbo leader in as head of state?

Finally I’d like to speak to the value of a vote rooted in integrity, a leader that may not have experience in all facets of leadership, but has integrity and character that can be trusted. Can we vote a leader, at all levels that truly cares for Nigeria and Nigerians, that has the humility to search out wisdom and experts in various fields. How important would it be to vote for a leader with the boldness and the courage to speak up in the face of adversity and not bend to the will of individuals at the expense of the greater good.

When I look of the kind of leader I’d be proud to speak of no matter where I am, that is what i consider. I may not have the confidence to say that honestly about any of our presidential candidates, but I do have the confidence to say that about one running for office in the House of Representatives in Eti-Osa, Banky Wellington. For the years I have known him, both at a distance and up close I can say he is an individual who truly cares for others and for the nation, one who is self-sacrificing and has the humility and the integrity to lead and to lead well.