EDITORIAL
Our behaviour ahead of 2019 General Elections
Two major political events in the country are primed for 2019. One is the General Elections and the other is the May 29 Democracy Day.
With barely three weeks to the first in the series of the General Elections, that is the Presidential/National Assembly polls on February 16, electioneering is expectedly ongoing.
Different political parties are in the field canvassing for votes and selling their party manifestos to the electorate.
On their part, voters are digesting the messages being fed them and will on voting day, turn up in their numbers to cast their votes for candidates of their choice. It is their civic obligation.
Here, in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the electioneering campaign has so far been commendably devoid of violence. It is sincerely hoped that it will remain so.
Political actors are enjoined to continue to embrace the spirit of brotherliness and see the elections as not a do-or-die affair. There is a popular saying that ”he who fights today lives to fight another day.” Also, it is equally held that ”a living dog is better than a dead lion.”
Of what use is it to any politician if he/she should trigger violence? Would it say well of such personality before the very same voters he or she wants to cast their votes for them (politician) when they initiate actions that will lead to loss of lives? Those who die could be the ones with the vital winning votes!
On this score, we wish to commend politicians based in the FCT for largely being peaceful so far. We urge them to continue along this line. Voters are closely watching them all and monitoring their activities.
Also, we laud the security agencies as well as the FCT Administration (FCTA) which partners with them for the prevailing peace in the Territory.
Members of the FCT Security Committee, led by Hon. Minister of FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, are known to hold frequent formal and informal meetings to map out ways to enhance the existing peace in the nation’s capital. Abuja Digest staff doff our hats to them.
What the International Community and indeed Nigerians expect from political actors are maturity, tolerance, and campaigns based solely on issues.
This newspaper demands that voters refuse to sell their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). It is evil to commercialize your right to vote. Any unscrupulous person who, for whatever reason, sells their cards should hold their peace when the ‘political businessmen/women’ get into that office and equally refuse to look the peoples’ way through expected delivery of meaningful development projects.
It takes two to tango the saying goes. If anyone sells their cards, they should expect the buying politicians to recoup his or her expenses when he or she wins election.
Consequently, the particular voter’s dreams of provision of well-equipped schools, hospitals, tarred roads, scholarship for wards or children, lower or no school fees, and other good things of life will automatically fly out the window.
A word is enough for the wise, our elders say.
