Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing, has urged Nigerians to vote for respectable citizens who are capable of bringing about the benefits of democracy.
The minister also urged the people to stop worrying about religion, stating that it was a personal choice that be made at home or in a place of worship.
When speaking yesterday in Lagos at the 2022 TheNiche Annual Lecture on the subject of “2023 Elections and the Future of Nigeria’s Democracy,” Fashola noted that the standard of democratic dividends that would be given would depend on the people who are elected to public posts.
He asserted that despite democracy and elections, elected officials are not guaranteed to carry out their mandates. Therefore, he asserted, it is the people’s responsibility to choose leaders who will fulfill their promises.
The event’s keynote speaker, a former governor of Lagos State, emphasized the importance of Nigerians making sure that democracy functions and has a good influence on the lives of common citizens.
Fashola said, “On the election day, you will not see qualifications, Muslim or Christians on the ballot box. The ballot paper will not state whether the man you want to vote for is kind or compassion.
“It is the institutions of democracy like this town hall meeting that helps in defining issues because at the end of the day, the majority will chose the person they want.
“That someone is the choice of the majority does not mean that he or she will deliver on what he promised.”
He warned against the danger of giving authority to those who lack the necessary skills to improve the lives of the populace, saying that whatever decision our country makes has repercussions.
Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, a founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the event’s chairman, stated Nigerians should be more concerned with reforming our model of democracy than they should be with thinking about the general election of 2023.
Nigeria, according to Yakasai, is at a crossroads because it uses the American system of government. He pointed out that there is a widespread perception in the nation that the existing political system is ineffective for all Nigerians.
“I have been advocating the adoption of French Presidential System of Government for Nigeria. In my opinion, it is easier to replace non-performing government in that system than in the American Presidential System.
“Another important reason why I am advocating the adoption of the French Presidential System is that it is cheaper to operate and, therefore, more suitable to our own reality as a developing nation,” he said.
The purpose of this year’s speech, according to TheNiche’s managing director Ikechukwu Amaechi, was to educate Nigerians that elections have repercussions.
He advised the electorates to stay away from social evils that could undermine the country’s developing democracy.
