By Ebinum Samuel
In response to the recent heated debate by the Senate over the electronic transmission of election results real-time, which it eventually accepted under public pressure,the Guild of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria, GPAAN has added its voice calling for it and more voter education.
The initial rejection of electronic transmission of election results by the Senate has been described by some members of the organization as not only “an electoral betrayal but also an assault on democracy”. Similarly , it is viewed as “programmed against the people’s will” and therefore, “unacceptable”.
Ordinarily, free,fair, credible and peaceful elections should serve as the strong foundation and bedrock to anchor the tenets and dictates of democracy. Results of elections should reflect the choices of the people. Those so elected would come up with pro-people policies,programs and projects to better the quality of life, or the Human Development Index ( HDI ) of the people.
Unfortunately, given the prevailing dysfunctional political structure millions of Nigerians have for decades suffered from preventable mass misery and poverty, ignorance, worsening insecurity, different diseases and youth unemployment while their political leaders live large in the midst of a pauperized people. Sadly too all these are happening in a country ranked as 115th out of 123 countries on the Global Hunger Index ( GHI ) and sixth.on the Global Terrorism Index ( GTI ) in 2025.
The 2027 general elections should therefore, provide the people another golden opportunity to choose the type of leaders they so desire and ensure that their votes truly count.
According to the President of GPAAN, Ayo Oyoze Baje: ” Members in Lagos state have been actively engaged in voter education since October, 2022 doing so in partnership with INEC.
“This time around, it is being expanded to the Zonal Chapters in Enugu, South-East, Port Harcourt, South-South, Ilorin, Kwara,North- Central and Abuja, the FCT before pushing it to the North – West and North – East geo-political zones.”
In response to the question on how GPAAN carries out voter education he explained that police approval and support is sought for members to display banners and give out flyers to the citizens present in the chosen communities.
As they go along the streets, they enlighten different groups on their civic rights and responsibilities. They educate them to do away with ethno-religious sentiments in the choices they make on the day of elections.
. Furthermore, they preach against vote selling and buying, ballot box snatching, manipulation of results to favour preferred candidates as well as threats to fellow voters and physical attacks on some political actors.
In his words, ” it is better to endure hunger for one day than to sell one’s rights and votes and be impoverished for some four odd years”.
