In three days hence, Nigerians will go to the polls to elect their president and members of national assembly. The simple but significant act of thumb printing a ballot paper in a secluded polling booth is one of the canons of democracy. It invests the citizenry the power to periodically choose their leaders.
This year election is a defining moment of our democracy. A democracy populated by dictators and those who frown at obeying the tenets of democracy. Apart from October 1, 1960, Saturday election is a watershed in the annals of the nation history and it is our civic duty to get it right by voting for candidates who will minister to the welfare and security of the citizens. It is a patriotic duty to vote. Failure to vote is to give up your citizenship rights and loses the moral right to complain if the government is behaving strangely to the dispensation of democratic dividends.
Nigerians have listened to the eighteen presidential candidates and their visions for the nation. However, there are three front runners: Senator Bola Tinubu of the APC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Mr. Peter Obi of Labour Party. Nigerians are too intelligent to be tutored on who to vote for. The Pond News remains neutral and unapologetic pro Nigeria. Our appeal here is that Nigerians should search their consciences and vote for a presidential candidate they truly believe shall solve the problems of insecurity, employment and make better the life of the average Nigerian.
We call for peaceful polls and INEC should do its job according to the constitution. INEC must remain unbiased and neutral umpire so that the results of the elections are not disputed. The police and the other security operatives should not compromise the integrity of the elections. Furthermore, any party or candidate that offers you money to vote for them is the greatest affirmation yet that they see the political office as a business enterprise. We passionately appeal to Nigerians to reject such monetary inducements no matter how tempting they may be. The future of Nigeria is at stake.
President Muhammadu Buhari has repeatedly committed himself to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. Nigerians should help the president to achieve that. If the nation fails to get it right this time around, it would be a terrible mistake of grave national consequences that Nigeria may never recover from. The Pond News wishes Nigerians peaceful elections that will guarantee the security and welfare of all citizens.
