Nigeria’s 2019 elections – Five ways to be an informed voter!!

Define what the key issues are

I think the key to deciding on the appropriate candidate is to define what issue(s) matter the most to you as a citizen, family or constituency; that way, it is easy to identify which candidate(s) is best equipped to deliver these things. If you follow American elections closely, you will see that Americans are always keen to know the candidates view on taxes, government deficit, healthcare etc.

For me, the number one thing on my agenda is ‘jobs! Nigeria’s population is projected to exceed 300 million by 2050 and surpass the United States as the world’s third most populous country!! Therefore, whoever is running for President in 2019 must compulsorily have an action plan on job creation with clear deliverables and timelines. The candidate must have clearly articulated plans on how he/she intends to create jobs, spur innovation and entrepreneurship. No more platitudes like ‘I will create 1 million jobs’, etc. campaign promises must be evidence driven while remaining ambitious and attainable.

For me, the number one thing on my agenda is ‘jobs! Nigeria’s population is projected to exceed 300 million by 2050 and surpass the United States as the world’s third most populous country!!

What issues matter to you the most? what do you expect the next Nigerian President to deliver

Get your facts, arm yourself with information

During elections, the media is going to bombard you with a lot of lies, half-truths, propaganda and a whole bunch of misleading information. The only thing that would save you is the extent to which you have equipped yourself with the right information.

Read the news by yourself, follow credible news sites i.e nairametrics, proshare etc.  Look at socio-economic data from the National Bureau of Statistics. There are also reports that you can read that will enable you to understand the true state of Nigeria’s social and economic development relative to other countries i.e. Failed States Index, Mo Ibrahim Governance Index, Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index,  World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Rankings, WEF Global Competitiveness Index etc. The goal is for you to know sufficiently enough such that you are less vulnerable to ‘fake news‘.

What are you reading? Where do you get news from? Do you have the right information?

Beware of so-called ‘Experts’ and Cashtivists ‘Activists’

The reason for point 1 or 2 is so that you can make an informed decision on the candidate(s) you choose to support. There will be so many people on social media who have been paid to deliberately mislead people, generate their own facts, whitewash a candidate’s legacy, spread lies and produce propaganda including the ones who claim to be ‘objective’. Anything that you hear or read is better taken with a pinch of salt.

This does not mean that you should not seek expert views, but the critical point is that you should be able to form an independent opinion of who deserves your vote.

Just be wary of social media ‘Analysts’, ‘Cashtivists’ and ‘Experts’.

Focus on the big picture

Contrary to popular opinion, these politicians are smart. They know how to distract us from the big issues. They sow seeds of divisions that ensure that our thoughts are clouded by religion or ethnicity or both. Always remember that the fight remains between us and them; between the ‘haves’ and the ‘haves-not’; between the ‘rich and poor’.

Therefore, do not ruin your friendships, relationships or reputations for their sake. Don’t get dragged into petty online fights, tirades etc. Focus on the big issues!! As much as possible, try to remain objective else you would help them in achieving their goal which is to divide and conquer!!

FOCUS guys, focus!

Do not ruin your friendships, relationships or reputations for their sake. Don’t get dragged into petty online fights, tirades etc. Focus on the big issues!! As much as possible, try to remain objective.

Get your PVC

Obviously, you should get your Permanent Voters Card (PVC) else you won’t be able to vote. It is important that you vote because whoever wins gets to decide our path as a nation for the next four years, so you see there is a lot at stake. We cannot afford to be passive citizens – it’s a luxury with dire consequences; let’s participate in the political process.