Habila Kayit, the Executive Director of the Godspeed Leadership and Mentorship Development Initiative, has urged the electorate not to focus solely on party structures as they prepare to vote in the upcoming general elections in February. In a press statement he personally signed and released on Tuesday in Kaduna State, Habila emphasized the importance of evaluating the pedigree and track record of candidates rather than their political affiliations. He stated, “The era of voting candidates based on their political parties is over. Citizens must seek to hear from every candidate seeking any political office, moving away from the top-to-bottom syndrome.”
Habila criticized the primaries conducted by political parties, claiming they often favored wealthy individuals and the chosen candidates of political godfathers, sidelining more qualified and acceptable aspirants. He explained that voting along party lines would mean citizens are willing to endure poor governance for another four years. He reminded Nigerians that citizenship comes with privileges, duties, and responsibilities, asserting that the people are the major stakeholders in every election.
He urged Nigerians to exercise their right to vote for candidates who have clear strategies to return the country to its citizens. Habila called on citizens to reject any form of enticement that could lead to security breaches and to support all electoral stakeholders in ensuring a secure and smooth election process. He pointed out that, given Nigeria’s population, a small minority often determines the country’s future, exploiting the weaknesses of the populace in relation to politics and governance, and the failure to unite in demanding a better system.
Despite these challenges, Habila expressed optimism for the future, noting a positive shift in attitudes toward voter registration, the collection of voter cards, political education, and enhancements to the electoral system. He encouraged citizens not to keep their voter cards solely for identification or account upgrades but to use them to make a historic statement and help save the nation from corrupt and ineffective leadership.
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