As the citizens of Anambra State go into election on Saturday, 6 November, 2021, they must ensure that a peaceful and violent free election ensued.
All the 18 political parties contesting in the election must speak to their candidates and supporters on the need to allow peace a chance. There’s no election that’s worth the life of anybody according to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
This is time for the candidates to prove that they are as ready to lead the state as they can make the election peaceful.
The voters must have by now decided on who to vote for, especially their choicest candidate because most of the candidates have very intimidating credentials that only a thin line can determine who the best is. The voters should not allow themselves to be coaxed. According to Center for Transparency Advocacy, a civil society organization that deals on sensitizing electorate and monitoring election, the citizens are the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) because they have the power to hire and fire. If the citizens understand who they are in any electoral process, they will not be tossed about.
Apart from the bible, another most important document is the ballot paper and interestingly the citizens have the possession of that ballot paper. If it is used very well, it will determine their political and socioeconomic wellbeing in the next four years otherwise, the citizens would also bear the pains for another four years. So the choice is yours, my dear voters. Vote wisely.
For the politicians, if the atmosphere is not peaceful for citizens to come out and cast their votes for the candidate of their choice, all the money used during campaigns and other empowerment that come with them, would have been wasted.
INEC must ensure that all the parameters put in place are deployed effectively to the success of the election otherwise all the funds expended to the election would have been a national waste. It must make sure against all odds, that the votes of the electorate count. This is time to assure the citizens of the independence of the body.
For the security agencies, there’s need to convoke a meeting where all the political candidates will come and sign the peace pact for the peaceful conduct of the election. They must not also intimidate nor threaten/scare the voters away from their booths by their look. Election is not war, the civility of the security agencies must be there and seen to be there. The issue of brandishing the guns at polling units is not needed for it scares voters away.
The media should not jump the gun in their reportage. Their reports must be verifiable and stand the test of the wheels.
The civil society organizations and other election monitoring bodies must align with the ethic and rules of monitoring.
If all these and more are not done, the state and all the apparatus put in place for the election would have been efforts in futility.
News Echo urges that since all the plans/intention are towards a peaceful election that brings out the choice of the electorate, let’s allow that intention to have her way as any other would have subverted the will of the people.