By Ifeoma Ejiofor
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) House of Representatives candidate for the Ihiala federal constituency, Barr JohnMary Akachukwu Maduakolam, has advocated a change of mindset of Nigerians about elections in the country.
Barr Maduakolam, who was fielding questions from newsmen in Ihiala, said that the time has come for Nigerians to see the electioneering process as their responsibility.
He pointed out that failure to take ownership of the process of choosing the political leadership by the people has made it possible for some other persons acting as godfathers to assume the responsibility of imposing candidates during elections.
The YPP standard-bearer for the lower chamber of the National Assembly, the Ihiala federal constituency, noted that the price to pay for absconding from voting on election days is that the eventual-imposed candidates will not be responsible to the people.
He said, as a matter of fact, that the loyalty and respect of imposed candidates will always be to the so-called godfathers who may not really have any stake in the growth and development of the community.
“We know some persons carrying on as political godfathers, yet they don’t have any stake in the society outside the usual bragging of having the ability to impose a candidate on the people during elections. For me, such individuals ordinarily should not be recognized as stakeholders but as stake-breakers.
“Electorates can not continue to receive 1-10k on election day and allow those without vision and mission to occupy elective positions, that to say the least is suicidal for the people in the long run,” the UK-trained lawyer insisted.
Barr Maduakolam, while accessing the response of Nigerians toward collecting their PVCs, said that the large turnout of prospective voters to get their PVCs is heartwarming.
He however urged the people to move beyond just getting their PVCs but ensure that they actually vote and defend their votes during and after that polls.