Religious Organisations And 2011 Elections

Since the nation’s electoral umpire the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the time table for 2011 general elections the various political parties have expectedly increased the tempo of their campaigns, the purpose of which is to sell their plans for the electorate if  voted to power. The myriad of newspaper, radio and television campaigns so far mounted by the campaign organisations of the various political gladiators leave no one in doubt that elections, the world   over are considered very serious business because it affords the electorate opportunity to choose their leaders. This means that if such elected persons fail to deliver on their election promises on how to make life more meaningful for the electorate, they are shown the way out during next voting season. Voting at elections therefore, remain the most potent tool by which an elected person may be reaffirmed in office or shown the way out. Next year’s general election in Nigeria appears to be very crucial, particularly because of the emergence of the incumbent president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, in view of the alleged zoning formula on which some aspirants are basing their disagreement over his emergence. But beyond their sentiments, which have been expressed in strong terms, is the need to sensitise the citizens on their responsibilities come voting period. Instead of dissipating energy fanning embers of primordial tendencies, the various parties should engage more in voter education which is very crucial in the process of every election because it is the active participation of the electorate which ultimately gives credence to the outcome of elections. It is in this connection  that the numerous crowd pullers, particularly religious organization which dot the land are expected to play a leading role in enlightening their members on the need to embrace the upcoming voters registration exercise, which begins on January 15, 2011, to enable them exercise their civic responsibility by voting for candidates of their choice. This call has become imperative following insinuations by some presidential hopefuls that unless they won the election, there would be mayhem, because according to their myopic thought, those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable. To my mind such unguarded statements are indices of defeat because such candidates should be deemed not to be serious politicians because the issues at stake involve the maximization of the real or perceived strengths of the competitors to win political office.

It therefore, behoves the religious organizations to step up the education of their members on the need to register and be able to vote during the forthcoming elections, in order to checkmate imposition of candidates by political contractors. To the campaign organizations of the various candidates, the time is now ripe to start enlightening the electorate on how their principals hope to tackle the myriad of social problems plaguing the country, ranging from youth restiveness, kidnapping, armed robbery, human trafficking, repositioning the education system and rebuilding our dilapidated infrastructure. For example, the nation has suffered a lot of setback following the damage done to   the polity as a result of incessant strike actions embarked upon by various workers unions and association. In the last count, the Nigeria Medical Association in parts  of the country embarked on a long strike to press home their demand for improved welfare. Before the resolution of the impasse many Nigerians lost their lives because they could not afford the cost of medical attention from private medical concerns. Not to be outdone, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in state universities in the South East geopolitical zone has been on strike for nearly four months now, still their protest is hinged on poor welfare for lecturers and dearth of teaching aids in the institutions.

The cost of the closure of these institutions to the students and their parents is better imagined. This is why those seeking political office should abandon their acrimonious stance and address how these socially debilitating issues would be addressed in future to stop the consequent social destabilization they present to the Nigeria society.

Nigeria has come a long way, and the unity of the various parts is non-negotiable, hence those fanning the embers of disunity, mayhem and the apostles of it-must-be-me syndrome should better watch their utterances because Nigeria is bigger than any single individual or group no matter their pedigree. Hence, the responsibility of religious organizations to vigorously enlighten their members on the need to register and ensure their votes are counted come 2011 general elections.