2023: Group Calls For Active Participation Of Nigerians In Electoral Processes

In the build-up to the 2023 general elections, a group, Voters Awareness Initiative (VAI) has called for active participation of Nigerians in the electoral processes.

The President of VAI, Mr. Wale Ogunade, made the call in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

According to him, Nigerians cannot continue to do things the same way and expect a different result.

“We have conducted ourselves in a particular way, which is electing the same set/class of people using sentiments, tribe, religion, quota, zoning, consensus and other mundane variables, to pick and or select candidates for elective offices.

“The time to start is now, the political train is about to move, INEC will soon roll out time table, there are about 18 recognized political parties and aside from two, all others have not organized their congresses and conventions.

“Therefore, there is still opportunity for Nigerians to be involved in the 2023 election, as an actor/participant and not cheerleader or critic,” he said.

According to the group president, the 2023 election is an opportunity to turn around the fortune and future of Nigeria for the better, politically, socially, economically, morally, psychologically, and all facets of the life of Nigeria.

He, however, noted that the people/country would only progress if on merit and shunning mediocrity, adding that sentiments could only lead to retrogression.

Ogunade who stressed that the time to start was now, added that it was time to organize and not agonise.

“The politicians, particularly the conventional politicians, have been organizing and positioning themselves since 2020.

“The time to organise ourselves is now and we have to do it or we will be worse off again and the agony will be very grave.

“To change this situation, we must all join hands to partake fully in the electoral processes,” he said.