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En masse, broken Nigerians trooped out to exercise their franchise in the just-concluded presidential election. In previous elections, many of these voters would have preferred to recline on their couches while surfing through activities from polling units on their gadgets. Ruthfully, a badly-led Buhari administration had provoked their tears for the past 8 years, hence their massive turnout for this year’s election.
In 2007, the voters’ rate declined from 57.4% to 53.7 percent in 2011. In 2015, it made a further decimation as it reduced to 43.6% and later to 34.75 percent in 2019. However, the 2023 election had 87 million Nigerians stormed 176, 606 polling units to exercise their franchise, in an all-time high voting rate. What must have really triggered the sudden interest, if not the calamities that had befallen these voters under the inept administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
In the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria ranked sixth; no thanks to Boko Haram, unknown gunmen, killer pastoralists, kidnappers, and other agents of doom that have continued to toil the peace of Nigeria. Pathetically, Nigeria is no longer sitting on a powder keg; it is now reclining on an atomic couch, while we hope it does not explode.
The 80 million citizens languishing in penury had made Nigeria the capital of world poverty, before India came to claim the inglorious award in March 2022, according to World Poverty Clock. Perhaps, the Austrian-British philosopher, Karl Popper, had the Buhari regime in mind when he said, “Those who promised us paradise on earth never produced anything but a hell”.
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The anti-corruption crusade of the “Sai baba” administration was a fictitious one, which has even blighted the administration. From the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal’s ‘over N500 million’ grass-cutting scandal, to the N47bn in fraudulent contracts awarded by the former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr Nsima Ekere, to the N80bn fraud of the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, and many others; the Buhari-led administration has only been a regrettable mistake made by gullible Nigerians.
Disregard for the rule of law, and anti human policies have been on the increase in the last eight years. The audacity of of the president to exhibit his clear contempt for verdicts of the (apex) court in the land is one that sends sadness down one’s spine. From the scarcity of Naira, to scarcity of fuel, Nigerians have really endured wrenching frustrations.
With the massive turnout for the 2023 election where Nigerians choose between three main candidates: Bola Tinubu of the APC, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Nigerians are fully awakened to the fact that prayers alone can’t solve the many problems bedeviling the nation, but rather, political participation and the choice of capable candidates.
Even in the face of political narcissism, intimidation, and inconveniences, Nigerians now defy odds to troop out en masse and vote their preferred candidates; that even a woman who, despite being attacked by thugs with blood oozing out from her face, returned to the polling unit to cast her vote. An awe-inspiring action and salient message have been passed: Nigerians are fully ready to rescue Nigeria and rewrite her gory story. Kudos to every Nigerian who trooped out to partake in the just-concluded presidential election, indeed, they’re deserving of every commendation they could get. Ours is Nigeria, and may it never falter.
Hashim Yussuf Amao
