This week鈥檚 鈥楾he Nigerian Voter鈥� subject is Enoch, a 28-year-old volunteer at the Kuchingoro Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp. 

He shared with us how the Boko Haram terror group displaced him from his state in 2014, his motivation for volunteering at the camp, and how he plans on voting as a means of revenge against the government for poor treatment of IDPs. 

What is the Kuchingoro IDP camp?

This is a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) due to violence from attacks from the Boko-Haram terrorist sect in the North-East of Nigeria. The attacks started in 2014 in villages in the North-East. Some villages are not accessible, while some are accessible but with a high presence of terrorism. The people are here to find a hiding place away from all the violence. 

Kunchigoro isn鈥檛 the only IDP camp. There are almost ten of these camps and settlements in Abuja, although not all of them are officially recognised. Karonmajigi, Lugbe and Kuje are examples of these camps, amongst many others.

You volunteer at Kuchingoro, how did you get here?

In 2014, I was in transit to Lagos from Borno. I decided to stop by Kunchigoro to see how some of my people were faring there. 

Even though I  am a displaced person, I have formal education and skills. This gave me some advantage in the camp than those who can鈥檛 read or write. 

Women sitting under a tree in New Kuchingoro Camp

Before then, my dad, siblings and two of my cousins were killed on the same day during the in Borno by Boko Haram. My cousin鈥檚 wife was also abducted. My mother, however, was in the hospital receiving kidney treatment in Abuja, so she was safe. 

That day, I was in my dormitory, preparing to finish my final year at the University of Maiduguri. A few days later, some of my relatives that survived came to break the news to me and I wept and wept. I don鈥檛 think I鈥檝e ever cried since then the way I cried on the day my relatives came. 

So sorry for your loss. Where did you go after university?

Until I graduated, a lot of my friends gave me financial and emotional support. Most of those friends were staying in various parts of Abuja.聽

I had plans to go to Lagos and look for work, but I鈥檇 have felt very bad if I had bypassed them after graduation without showing appreciation for their good deeds.

Therefore, I made my stop for a week in Abuja. 

During that period, one of my friends told me there were displaced people from my village in the IDP camp at Kuchingoro. A man who was left-handed and used stones on the Boko Haram members to chase them away during the raid was part of them. As a result, he sustained multiple gunshot wounds on his left arm, which made it diseased. I visited the man when I heard he moved to Kunchigoro.聽

When I got there, the man was very sick. It was a very emotional moment for me because this brave, courageous man stood up for himself and was getting death in return. I then thought, 鈥渨hat if I was in the village that day? Wouldn鈥檛 I have been killed?鈥� I quickly rushed to get him medication, and slowly but surely, he improved.聽

That thought alone made me realise that I could do something to help people in need, especially IDPs. After two months, I came to Abuja from Lagos to advocate for donors and humanitarian organisations that could help the Kuchingoro camp. I went to Channels, Max TV, and even radio stations like Ray FM, Nigeria Info and Kiss FM just to beg for help on air. 

It wasn鈥檛 easy, but with aid from Help of God International Church and others, we spread awareness about the camp. More people came here. The numbers grew to 6,000 in that same year, 2014.

What has it been like working in Kuchingoro?

It has had its ups and downs. I remember when people trooped in their thousands around 2014 and 2015. I felt alarmed because the humanitarian support wasn鈥檛 there. Thus, I decided to use my knowledge of statistics to take the exact numbers of people in the camp and a tracker of people looking for their loved ones. I contacted the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)and Humanitarian Watch.

I thought the statistics would be able to help with more donations for the camp. However, it didn’t turn out as I expected. Even though some were and are still coming in, I鈥檝e noticed that most of these organisations (especially the federal ones) love to cut out their share of the donations meant for us and give us the remnants. Some even justify this by saying . This has forced us as a community not to depend so much on handouts but to fend for ourselves. And with almost 80% of the adults being illiterate, it is very, very hard.

Netcodietsmann supporting IDP children in Kuchingoro with free education.

Now to the good parts. I feel fulfilled being able to work here and also being able to make a good living through farming and harvesting locust beans. This is the same as most of the male persons here. A group of Reverend Sisters here in Abuja donated about 50-100 plots of land for us to farm and make money. Many of these IDPs have been able to sell their foodstuff to other states like Lagos and Ibadan, and receive good profits. The Universal Basic Education (UBE) built a school for children. We also started a skill acquisition program for women. About 70-80% of these women have finished their training and can now do basic handwork like soap making and cosmetology, which can fetch them money. It has been fulfilling so far.

Since 2014, we鈥檙e down to 1,700 people in the camp. This is because people are making enough money out of their farming business to get a home for themselves on the outskirts of Abuja. But we that are here still need any form of help that we can get. Buhari and the federal government have done a good job on this so far. I hope the next president can be better.

What is the general atmosphere in the camp towards the 2023 elections?

The people here are very eager to vote because we love our country. No political party has come to campaign here to look for votes. As I speak, most of us have our Permanent Voter鈥檚 Cards (PVCs), and we are even looking for ten fourteen-seater buses to go to our polling units to vote. And even if we can鈥檛 find the buses, we鈥檒l trek there if we have to.

This election is crucial for us because we hate the government鈥檚 approach concerning our rehabilitation back to society. I still hear of village raids now and then in Borno state. That鈥檚 a problem they didn’t solve. They didn鈥檛 give us our full rations or even care for our emotional welfare. Some new folks have had their minds corrupted by Boko Haram. They鈥檝e seen the way the government treats ex-Boko haram members with money. They want to join the Boko Haram just to follow that route. I can鈥檛 allow that same party [the All-Progressives Congress (APC)] that caused all this to be in power again. I am voting as a means of revenge and rebellion against this government. Affliction cannot rise a second time.

We鈥檝e even hidden our PVCs just so that politicians don鈥檛 have any ideas of thinking that they can bribe us. We are ready to show them 鈥榩epper鈥�.

Who would you say people would like to vote for and why?

I can鈥檛 speak for everyone. However, from the people I鈥檝e talked to, there is a division between Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Atiku Abubakar of the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP)

For Peter, people love him because he doesn鈥檛 seem to belong in the same corrupt category as the other two candidates. He is also the youngest and seemingly healthiest. I side with the people that are for Obi.

Those for Atiku are mostly doing it for tribal reasons. That is, he鈥檚 from the North and I am from the North too. For me, there is no excuse for this. He has a past record of corruption as Vice-President, with embezzlement of public funds. I don鈥檛 trust him.聽

What problem(s) would you like your candidate to solve if he becomes president?

I would like him to establish a database for missing persons and a Special Assistant or Adviser on IDP Affairs. We need someone who understands IDP people’s needs and can liaise directly with the government. That鈥檚 the only way I believe true rehabilitation of people in the IDP camps and communities can be met.

In this week鈥檚 edition of 鈥楾he Nigerian Voter鈥�, we鈥檒l discuss voters鈥� fears of election violence ahead of the 2023 elections and how these fears are entrenched in 6 election cycles of violence since the start of democratic rule in 1999. 

Nigerians are experiencing worry, fear, and anxiety, with on February 25, 2023.

This has resulted in harassment and beating for supporting some candidates.

One such event was during the Labour Party鈥檚 presidential candidate, Peter Obi鈥檚 Lagos Rally, on February 11, 2023. Some Peter Obi supporters were attacked by thugs with machetes and other weapons,聽 on their way to the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS).

When this happened, there was a lot of public opinion on voters鈥� fears of election violence. Most of the accounts were terrified of harassment from thugs by the ruling All-Progressive Congress (APC).

Well, who can blame them? Since Nigeria鈥檚 independence in 1960, there has been no moment鈥檚 rest concerning election violence, with more than 1,800 deaths. And entering democratic rule in 1999 didn鈥檛 help either.

Let鈥檚 look into the statistics here:

History of voter election violence since 1999

There was widespread violence following regarding the 1999 election that ushered in the presidency of Olusegun Obasanjo. It is that about 80 people died. In 2003, at least 100 people during incidents of violence triggered by federal and state elections.聽

In 2007, over 300 people lost their lives due to electoral violence four years later, with pre-election violence more than 70 lives.

Again, in 2011, post-election violence led to the death of at least 800 people over three days of rioting in 12 states across northern Nigeria 鈥� the worst case so far in the country鈥檚 political history.

鈥淭he violence began with widespread protests by supporters of the main opposition candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim from the Congress for Progressive Change, following the re-election of incumbent Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the Niger Delta in the south, who was the candidate for the ruling People’s Democratic Party,鈥� Human Rights Watch.

During and after the general elections in 2015, 100 people lost their lives, according to the International Crisis Group. And finally, the European Union Election Observation Mission about 150 people were killed due to violence linked to the last national elections of 2019.

Sadly, citizens are not the only ones that suffer from election violence. A closer look at the figures shows that election officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

A Trend of Election Violence Against Election Officials (2019-2022)

In November 2022, the electoral commission said it had recorded since 2019. It may probably have been more, as data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), suggests that might be an estimate.

According to data from ACLED in December 2022, there have been more than 100 attacks associated with elections since the last elections in 2019. At least 67 of them were recorded on non-election days between January 2019 and December 2022.

But why is there election violence?

There are many reasons why election violence has risen to an all-time high since the start of Nigeria鈥檚 democracy. Some of them are:

To gain wealth and profit

Firstly, politics is the most profitable sector in Nigeria. And the stakes are extremely high. Holding a position in government holds the key to power, which in turn provides access to the country鈥檚 wealth. Winners gain all, and losers are sometimes left with nothing, including their followers, investment and integrity.

The result is that political actors often prepare strategies to achieve their objectives that can include violence.

Lack of strong state institutions

Those involved in electoral governance are vulnerable to coercion or manipulation. On numerous occasions in past elections, there have been committed by officials of the electoral body or in favour of one party or another. This, in turn, has led to some political actors enlisting the support of armed non-state groups. These groups sometimes operate in conflict with state institutions and sometimes compete with them. In some instances, there is cooperation.

The frustration of Nigerian citizens

Many Nigerians are frustrated by the economic, social and political situation in the country. People are by poverty, inequality, perceived injustice, illiteracy, youth unemployment, hunger, corruption, human rights abuse and insecurity.

Added to this is the lack of sensitivity and inadequate responses of the government.

This is a behind the increase in civil and militant protests and criminal violence in Nigeria.

What is the solution to electoral violence?

Here are some solutions that we feel are necessary to curb electoral violence:

More effort is also needed to build the capacity of relevant institutions. Two key ones stand out: the electoral and security agencies.

Nigeria鈥檚 electoral body (INEC) plays an important role in reducing electoral violence. The regulation of party activities and the conduct of elections should be consistent with the country鈥檚 laws and directives. And its actions should be transparent. This will strengthen stakeholders鈥� confidence in the institution and process of the elections.

Election security should be demilitarised. While policing can feature the armed forces in supporting roles, it is important to balance their role during elections with rule of law and respect for human rights. Suspects should be arrested, prosecuted and served justice (devoid of political influence) after a fair hearing.

Nigeria has relevant laws to curb electoral violence. The implementation and enforcement of these laws should be a priority.

INEC should also promote public education using both traditional and new media-based advocacy.

Political parties, civil society groups and media also play important roles in influencing public opinion and mobilising people. Political parties should check, and when necessary condemn and sanction their members and followers engaged in electoral violence. Civil society groups should demand greater accountability and transparency of the election process as well as educate and mobilise the public.

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Yusuf, a 26-year-old postgraduate student at the University of Ibadan. He tells us about his past voter experiences, why he is a big fan of Atiku Abubakar and his reasons for believing that the plans made against Atiku by the G5 don鈥檛 hold water. 

Have you ever been voted in any election before? 

I voted in 2015 and 2019. I also participated in the 鈥淒eliver Oyo鈥� campaign group in 2018.

What was the campaign all about?

The campaign was all about the 2019 candidates and what they had to bring to the table. We were at the frontlines, granting interviews and developing goals and strategies that the candidates could possibly use to win the elections. It was around that time that the #NotTooYoungtoRun movement became very popular and soon became an Act. We had very young candidates here in Oyo state. Some of them didn鈥檛 win their elections, and others were later made appointees of the government of the day. 

That鈥檚 dope! Who did you vote for in 2015 and 2019, and why?

In 2015, unfortunately, I voted for Buhari. In 2019, I voted for Atiku. The funny thing with Buhari in 2015 was that I didn鈥檛 exactly support him.

What do you mean?

Well, I know his history well enough. People think his political career began when he planned that coup between 1984 and 1985. However, this is not true. Buhari was at the forefront of various coups. Even after he became the Head of State and Petroleum Minister, with the way we handled the government, I knew that he wasn鈥檛 the one for us.

However, I decided to vote for him because of one person 鈥� Fashola. Most of us who were from the South-West but were not in Lagos admired how he ran Lagos and believed he would be the template for all All Progressive Congress ( APC) governors. We felt that if he is supporting Buhari, and we supported Buhari because of Fashola, then he would make Minister. Also, there would be more chances of his work being replicated in other states too, including the South-West.

Therefore, I voted for Buhari not because of his person, but mostly because of the intelligent people he has had to work with. I felt that even if he couldn鈥檛 do his job right, his people would be there to pick up the slack. I guess I was wrong.

Why did you vote for Atiku in 2019?

I believed he was the better candidate. I was part of the election cycle, so I knew a lot about politicking and how these elections are run. With Buhari and Atiku as forerunners, it was a matter of settling for one of the lesser devils. This is because I strongly believed that no party asides from the two major parties can win at the level of the presidency. 

Atiku had the qualifications. I feel his allegations of corruption are being over-exaggerated by the media. It鈥檚 not as deep as we see it. 

Do you still have plans of voting for Atiku in 2023? If yes, why?

I think Atiku is our only chance of booting the APC out of the presidency. People think that there can be no president worse than Buhari, but I disagree. I believe that things can be even worse with an APC candidate taking over from Buhari. Our democracy is very fragile and we cannot allow someone who doesn鈥檛 respect the tenets of democracy to get to that office in Aso Rock.

Our presidential system of government is structured in such a way that it gives the president so much power. I think the closest system to ours is the American system, and even then, theirs has a lot of devolution or distribution of power.

Why that statement? What makes you so?

Because it鈥檚 in the constitution. Let鈥檚 start from 1999 till date. When Obasanjo was president, he was able to control even things that happened in the National Assembly. This is for both the House of Representatives and the Senate. 

The only person that didn鈥檛 mix both arms of government was Yar鈥橝dua, and that was because he passed on shortly after he became president. Even Goodluck Jonathan at one point interfered with the affairs of legislation. The constitution was even written by military personnel, so it has this 鈥楧ecree 36鈥� sort of vibe with the centralisation of power that Aguiyi Ironsi did in 1966.

That鈥檚 why Atiku is campaigning for state autonomy because states in Nigeria do not control their resources. The Federal government controls their resources and gives them derivation at the end of the month.

The point is, we can not allow someone that doesn鈥檛 respect the tenets of democracy to be given that level of power. This is also a major reason why I am with Atiku.

But with the decline of Atiku鈥檚 popularity over the last months, do you think he still has a chance of winning?

The decline of his popularity is on social media oh, not physically. Let鈥檚 do a breakdown. There are 36 states in Nigeria, with 17 in the South and 19 in the North. Atiku鈥檚 running mate is someone who has been in government since 1999. He was James Ibori鈥檚 commissioner for 8 years. After Ibori left, he was also involved in 2 more tenures. The reason why I am bringing this up is to prove that Okowa is a political heavyweight.

Even when Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike first entered the political sphere, Okowa was already a commissioner of several tenures.

Atiku also has the support of so many people in the South-South. There鈥檚 Delta, Okowa鈥檚 state. There is Bayelsa, which is a traditional PDP state and currently has a PDP governor. Rivers State is a traditional PDP state too but may be difficult to win because of Wike鈥檚 beef with Atiku. There is Akwa Ibom State, where Udom Emmanuel is a PDP governor. There is also Akpabio whom APC did not give his return ticket, but he still has that PDP structure.

This means that there is solid hope of Atiku winning in the South as well as the North. It also means that Southerners, especially the South-South, have a great chance of making it to the presidency in the next couple of years. Obi is gaining ground in the South-East sure, but that doesn鈥檛 change the fact that the region is traditionally PDP too. What the PDP needs to get is at least 25% in all the southern states.

Another point is, in all the states in Nigeria, with the way the election is, the state Obi wins, Atiku will come second. The state Tinubu wins, Atiku will come second. And yet, we say he doesn鈥檛 have a chance? Here in Oyo state, people would say that Atiku can鈥檛 win because Seyi Makinde is a G5 governor. But did they see the massive mobilisation that happened, even before Atiku announced that he was running for the presidency? Atiku has been in the PDP and has held Oyo state down before his campaign started.

Yes, things have boiled down concerning his online campaign, but that doesn鈥檛 change the fact that this election is still between the APC and PDP.

You mentioned the G5. Who are they, and what do they represent?

The G5 is a group of five governors on the platform of the PDP. They are saying that they cannot support a transition of an APC Fulani man to a PDP Fulani man. In other words, they do not support a Fulani-Fulani transition for the presidency and feel a Southern president should emerge instead.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State leads the G5. Other members include Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Ifeanyi Uguwanyi of Enugu State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

Can you say that the G5 still has an impact on the elections and the PDP?

They don鈥檛. As it stands now if they proclaim the candidacy of Atiku, some of them will lose their elections. If you look at the G5 governors, only Nyesom Wike is not returning to power. Samuel Ortom is contesting for the Senate in Benue. Same with Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Ikpeazu of Abia state. Seyi Makinde is seeking re-election for governor of Oyo state. So it鈥檚 only Wike in this group that has nothing to lose.

At this stage of the election, if my governor in Oyo State starts to campaign against Atiku, he will campaign against aspirants for the Senate and House of Representatives. 

In fact, during the Atiku campaign, the three Senate aspirants for Oyo South, Oyo North and Oyo Central and the 14 aspirants for the House of Representatives were all there to welcome Atiku. My point is that their election is tied to Atiku鈥檚 victory at the polls. The G5 can work for any candidate they like, but it has to be lowkey. I even feel like the nature of their group is unfounded.

How so?

I鈥檒l keep referencing Oyo State because I am from here. So in Oyo State, we have four-axis 鈥� Ibadan (state capital), Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa and Ogbomosho. Since 1999, Ibadan has been the one producing the governors. Ibarapa has never made a governor, but they are not complaining or saying that 鈥榠t鈥檚 their turn鈥�. For Makinde鈥檚 campaign in 2019, he even came out to say that he is not running as an Ibadan man but rather as someone competent.

If he has said that, why can鈥檛 he give Atiku the benefit of the doubt?

This dispute’s genesis was that one couldn鈥檛 have a Fulani-Fulani transition. Look at Wike now. He succeeded Rotimi Amaechi, both of whom are from Ikwerre local government. Why didn鈥檛 he say he would wait for a candidate from another zone to aspire for governorship before he stepped up?

My point is that if one wants to polarise the election along regional lines, Atiku will still win. If he doesn鈥檛 win states in the South, he will come second in those states. At this stage of our democracy, it鈥檚 not about the region.

If it was the 鈥榯urn of the South鈥� like they claim, why was Wike lobbying to be Atiku鈥檚 running mate at the primaries? These are questions that one should ask. You can鈥檛 be the beneficiary of a same-zone transition and still complain. However, the decisions of these governors can affect who citizens would vote for in their various states. For instance, Ortom鈥檚 leaning toward Peter Obi of the Labour Party could affect voter decisions on Atiku.

What would you say of Obi, Tinubu and Kwankwaso as candidates?

As I said earlier, the candidate of the APC (Tinubu) does not respect the tenets of democracy. He has had a hand in the affairs of Lagos State from 1999 till date. I also have a personal grudge against anyone (including APC members) that had a hand in October 2020 #EndSARS massacre. They have House of Representative aspirants that I can vote for, but I can鈥檛 vote for anyone APC at the central level. I just can鈥檛.

As for Peter Obi, I鈥檓 not voting for him right now because I feel his party is not a major party yet. You can鈥檛 build structures, campaigns, and everything else you鈥檇 need to survive a presidency in five months. If he keeps going this way, though, who knows? He could be our next president in 2027.

For Kwankwaso, his New Nigeria People鈥檚 Party (NNPP) doesn鈥檛 have a fanbase outside of Kano state. I believe he is depending on Kano state being a swing state to have an edge, but that鈥檚 too much of a stretch.

How are you mobilising people to vote in this election?

To be honest, I don鈥檛 see why you are a Nigerian living in Nigeria with the current state of the economy and not vote.

If people no longer believe in the Nigerian project to vote, then honestly they shouldn鈥檛 bother.

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Tolu*, a 200-level Mass Communication student in his early twenties schooling at the Federal University of Technology, Minna. He is passionate about voting, but with exams clashing with the elections, he and 26,000 other students at his school can鈥檛 travel home. He tells us of his frustrations with the educational system, his desire to vote and who he hopes can win this election.

When did you first enter university, and how many strikes have you experienced?

I got admission in 2019 but resumed in 2020. I was in school from January to March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown started. 

I was at home from March to December 2020 due to COVID-19 and a strike from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). 2021 was the only year that I had a full session. In 2022, I was in school from January to March before the eight-month strike that ended in October. That is two strikes already in three years. 

Wow. How would you say the strikes have affected you?

By now, I鈥檓 supposed to be in my final year (400 level), but I鈥檓 still in the second semester of my second year. I鈥檝e not even written exams. 

I鈥檝e not been able to make progress with my goals in life. There were so many things I planned and put in place. 

For instance, I had a summer job shortly before I entered university. The manager there liked me and promised I could return and work there in my 300 level for Industrial Training (IT). Now the manager that promised that opportunity was transferred last year. If there were no strikes, I鈥檇 have worked there by now. Now I can no longer do it there, and my chances of working at the firm in future have been cut short. 

It has also affected my grades too. When I returned from the 2020 strike, some lecturers claimed that they had misplaced all the test scripts we had written before the strike. Hence, they gave people random scores and the 鈥渞andom score鈥� I got wasn鈥檛 so favourable and it brought down my Grade Point Average (GPA). 

Also, this has affected me mentally because I鈥檓 slowly but surely losing hope in the educational system. It makes me wonder if having an education is worth it or not. 

Who do you think is the cause of the strikes?

Well, I can鈥檛 say lecturers for sure because my parents are also in the educational system. It is not easy to teach endlessly and not have your salaries paid monthly. A politician can鈥檛 be there taking your money, and you don鈥檛 do anything about it. So I鈥檇 say a larger portion of the blame goes to the politicians.

But I鈥檇 also like the lecturers to have compassion for us. We understand their plight, but it is also our future that they are using to fight for their rights. 

Since the recent strike was called off in October 2022, how have you coped with your academics?

We had it rough for the first three weeks with back-to-back classes and tests, but now we鈥檝e adjusted. I have classes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Even though it is stressful, I like it in a way because it is helping us to meet up with the school calendar. We are far behind because of these strikes. We have no option.

Is the schedule by any chance clashing with the elections? 

Firstly, I should say that it almost affected my collecting my Permanent Voter鈥檚 Card (PVC). We closed for the holidays three days to Christmas Day. If I didn鈥檛 make up my mind to collect it before resumption, I鈥檓 not sure I鈥檇 have ever been able to collect it again. 

As to how it鈥檚 clashing with the elections, my exams start on February 20. I also have exams on February 24, which is the day before the  

How does this affect you?

My residence is in Kogi state, a 7-hour drive from Minna. I cannot finish exams by 2 p.m. and then make a 7-hour drive to Kogi state just to vote. My parents will not support that, with the insecurity on that route. 

I also have exams after February 25 as well. If I go back home, there is no way I鈥檇 be able to prepare that weekend (being election weekend). Only people from Niger state can go back home, and even then, it鈥檚 a five-hour drive at best. People from far distances like mine can鈥檛 go back. FUTMINNA has to realise that they are disenfranchising the rights of over 26,000 students in this school to vote. 

I鈥檝e been following the news in other schools too, and I鈥檝e seen that on this issue on social media platforms. I鈥檓 very sure that if universities decide to give a one-week break before the elections, I can bet that at least 10,000 students would use the opportunity to vote. 

Why do you have so much passion for voting?

It鈥檚 because I鈥檓 very much concerned about the country’s well-being. The well-being of this country ultimately affects my future. There have been occasions when I was in my room, and I shed tears just because of the state of this country. And the only way I can change things is by voting. 

But now I can鈥檛 even do that anymore. How can I be preparing since June 2022 to vote and now that the elections are almost here in 2023, I can鈥檛 vote? It hurts me a lot. The 2023 elections are possibly the only chance I鈥檇 have to rewrite the story of my country and my educational future. And now I鈥檓 about to lose that because of my school. If the presidency falls into the wrong hands, I will lose 8 years of my life. And eight years plus my current age is a lot. I might probably have had children by then. I don鈥檛 want my kids to live in a destabilised country. 

Right now, public universities are talking about how to increase school fees. The current fee we pay here at FUTMINNA is N39,000. Even then, the money took a lot of work for most people. Some had to go on social media and open GoFundMe accounts to raise money for their tuition. How would things be if they increased it to N80,000, for instance? If you have a good country, the school fees would be regulated. I know how much my parents spend on my fees and well-being in this school, and I know they don鈥檛 have savings at the end of the month. Voting in this election is my only chance of making things right and ensuring that affliction doesn鈥檛 prevail a second time. 

What are your plans going forward with the elections? Have you accepted your fate? 

If it鈥檚 the will of God, I鈥檒l vote. I鈥檓 being optimistic that things could change between now and election day. 

Who would you vote for if you were able to, and why? 

I鈥檇 vote for someone with competence and charisma. I鈥檇 vote for someone who I can hold accountable. I鈥檇 vote for who has a track record, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) is that person. 

What about the other candidates? 

I may not be old enough to have been around when the other candidates were at the peak of their political careers, but I鈥檝e read books and watched their presidential town halls. Who has presented the most sensible points to us? Who can we look at his antecedents, at his past and say that he is a bit capable of rebuilding Nigeria?

I have been to Anambra state and I see what he did with the road network and it鈥檚 worthy of commendation. 

In terms of education, what do you think Peter Obi would do for you if he became president? 

When he came to Niger state, he assured us that our four years course would be four years. He also promised us SME skills for entrepreneurs. He will also give people small-scale loans for students who wish to do business while in school. He also promised to teach people online and technical skills. 

Even though you might not be able to vote, are you mobilising others to exercise their rights? 

Well, I know my parents and siblings are going to vote. Before I saw my exam schedules, people in my state planned to rent buses to transport people to polling units to vote. 

Even in school, I make sure that I reach out to people back home to remind them to vote on February 25. My friends and I do the same thing here at school to anyone willing to listen. 

Nonetheless, there are still a few of us who have enough passion and can put our lives on the line to go out there and vote.  

We write the news and track the 2023 elections for citizens, by citizens in our weekly newsletter, Game of Votes. Make the subscription of a lifetime .

In today鈥檚 edition, Citizen discusses the various factors that could affect the choice of a Nigerian Voter as they prepare to come to the polls in February 2023.

With Nigerian voters being only 31 days shy from casting their votes in February 2023, a lot of activity has been going on from key players in the political scene. 

This ranges from to and so much more. And these activities have a very high chance of determining who a voter would support during an election. 

However, some of these factors play a key role in voter decisions. These are:

Ethnicity 

There are , and three of them are from the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. 

Atiku Abubakar of the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP) from the North, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the South-West, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) from the East. 

Despite the provision given by which allows individuals of all tribes to contest for elections, there has been that presidential power should rotate every eight years between the northern and southern parts of the country.

This is why many individuals and groups from the north and the south agree that President Muhammadu Buhari .

However, a South-Eastern presidency (which could be made likely with Obi winning the elections) has been a amongst ethnic tribes. 

This is largely because the zone is clamouring to produce its first-ever president in Nigeria. 

Religion 

Religion, like ethnicity, has always been a very key factor in voter participation. Islam and Christianity are the , with 53.5% of Nigerians being Muslim and 45.9% being Christian respectively. 

Since 1999 there has also been an unwritten law to ensure that the president and the vice president do not share the same religion. While the north is predominantly Muslim, the south is predominantly Christian. 

But that may change if this man comes along.

The BAT

In July 2022, Bola Tinubu, a Yoruba Muslim, Kashim Shettima, a Kanuri Muslim and former governor of Borno State, as his running mate. 

As expected, many Nigerians and groups, including the Christian Association of Nigeria, the ticket.

But that didn鈥檛 stop the BAT, as he is still proudly campaigning on a Muslim-Muslim ticket. 

The rise of a 鈥榯hird force鈥�

Until 2015, were the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP).

Their winning streak ended when their candidate (Goodluck Jonathan) to President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. 

In 2023, things are looking to change with the rise of a third-party force from the Labour Party (LP). This is all due to its presidential candidate, Peter Obi. 

Already he has managed to create a strong Obidient movement across the country, as well as become a favourite for the elections with more than four opinion polls in his favour. 

Vote-buying

In a country with over being multidimensionally poor, anyone is looking for a means to hustle and make money. Even if it means selling their votes to do it. 

However, there are promises of reduction in the act. 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu, promised Nigerians that party agents caught buying votes during the 2023 elections in accordance with the Electoral Act. 

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Ade*, a young social media manager in his early twenties who was once a member of the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witness 鈥� a Christian denomination known to view voting as a sin. He tells us why the church sees political participation in that light and his views on voter participation. 

Why do the Jehovah’s Witness (JW) not believe in voting?

We remain politically neutral for religious reasons based on the Bible. We don鈥檛 lobby or vote for political candidates or run for power. We would not partake in anything concerning politics or ruling over others using manmade regulations.

We do not participate in governance. 

Are there scriptures in the Christian Bible that pertain to this?

Jesus refused to accept political office. In John 6:15, he taught his disciples to be no part of the world. 

Jehovah鈥檚 Witnesses are loyal to God鈥檚 kingdom, as in 2 Corinthians 5:20.

God鈥檚 role as the ruler is ultimate; taking sides with any other government is like compromising. We believe that we should follow God鈥檚 rule or God鈥檚 government because the government of man cannot save us. At the moment, Satan is the one who rules the world. If we were to take part in the politics of the world, we鈥檇 be siding with the devil ruling the world.

Would you vote if given a chance?

Personally, I won鈥檛 vote. I feel that every government is the same. I believe that we live at the end of days. Hence, it is only expected that things will get worse from here, especially for Nigeria. I am not saying that no man can鈥檛 make the lives of Nigerians easier, but I also believe that every man is for himself here. If a Nigerian feels like a candidate would make his or her life easier, I support that. But personally, I鈥檓 not a big fan of voting for the above reasons. 

Do you have views independent of your church when it comes to voting?

Even though I left the church two years ago (for undisclosed reasons) and I鈥檓 now a Pentecostal, I can say to a large extent that I agree with what the Jehovah’s Witnesses say about the government. I see sense in not voting for candidates in any way, and I do not even plan to vote for anyone come 2023. Our final destination is heaven, and we need to focus on that instead of earthly politics.

We write the news and track the 2023 elections for citizens by citizens in our weekly newsletter, Game of Votes. Make the subscription of a lifetime .

The subject of today’s The Nigerian Voter is Motunrayo*, a customer service executive in her late twenties, residing in Lagos, Nigeria. She told us about her bad experience collecting her Permanent Voter鈥檚 Card (PVC) at the Eti-Osa local government ward and her expectations for the 2023 elections.

Is this your first time registering for your PVC?

No, it isn鈥檛. I鈥檝e had my PVC since I first registered in 2014. I know I had my voter鈥檚 card before the 2015 and 2019 elections.

Did you vote in the 2015 and 2019 elections?

I couldn鈥檛 vote in 2015 because I wasn鈥檛 in Uyo in Cross River state, where I first registered. However, I was back in Uyo in 2019, so I voted then. 

Who did you vote for in 2019, and why?

I voted for Atiku Abubakar of the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi as vice president. 

I voted for him then because I liked that Obi as his running mate. With him on the ballot, they seemed like the 鈥渓esser evil鈥� out of all the candidates for me. Buhari was contesting for a second term, and comparing his military and democratic tenure combined, he didn鈥檛 make a good option for me as a president then. 

However, I had heard many things about Peter Obi and his experience with the economy and his tenure as Anambra State governor, and thus, I had hope in him to change the country.

With the PVC you did in 2022, was it a transfer or fresh registration?

I transferred online because I remember moving from Akwa-Ibom to Lagos state. I had to change the location. 

Can you remember your first PVC registration? How did it go?

I remember seeing a huge number of people at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office. I spent nearly two days collecting my PVC. The first day, I left out of frustration because they were not attending to people fast enough. The second time I ensured I stayed until evening to collect my card. 

I think the crowd was much because Akwa Ibom is a PDP state, and it is always more than enough sensitisation for people to vote. However, I only registered for my PVC because my dad literally chased me out of the house to do it, not because of any sensitisation. The experience wasn鈥檛 any different from now. 

Can you remember this 2015 PVC collection experience in detail?

I remember that at some point, they locked the gate because the crowd was so much. People that had connections to the INEC officials bribed their way through the gate. You could see a man and his entire family pass you by from behind and jump the queue, after waiting for hours. I remember coming as early as 6 am on the first day and still not being attended to at 1 pm. 

I couldn鈥檛 even get angry because there were others that had been there for 3 days. There was a lot of harassment from officials, as they would try to beat you if you came too close to the day. 

Funny enough, the INEC official that attended to me the next day was a really nice person. We even exchanged contacts and she assured me that she鈥檇 call when ready. 

But aside from her, others were just rude and were requesting tips. I wouldn鈥檛 have given them, even if I had the money. 

Did you have to do anything PVC related in 2019? 

No, I didn鈥檛 have to. I just followed my friends to do theirs, and the experience for them wasn鈥檛 any different. In fact, one of my friends was so tired that she said she鈥檇 go home. But thankfully, she finally got to do her PVC registration in 2022.

How would you describe your experience with PVC transfer and collection in 2022?

For the transfer of location, the process was easier because it was online. 

However, the collection was way more stressful because it was physical. I couldn鈥檛 believe that one still had to go through the same process in 2014 鈥� queueing up for long hours and being harassed by security men. I was hoping the PVC collection would be easier for me, but it wasn鈥檛. It turned out to be absolute hell. 

At first, I thought all would be well because I was tracking the crowd volume in my LGA ward from home through real-time tweets on Twitter. A man then announced that his LGA (Eti-Osa) didn鈥檛 have any crowd, and that spurred me on to go and get my PVC almost immediately. 

But to my surprise, there was a large crowd outside. We were then asked to write our names and polling unit codes on a sheet of paper and submit it. After writing, I couldn鈥檛 even find an official to submit to. They had this habit of going inside and staying in their offices for long hours before coming out. I don鈥檛 have an idea of what they were doing but when they eventually came out, it鈥檇 only be with 5-6 cards. People were angry and astonished at the slow rate at which the cards were shared. 

You鈥檇 expect that Eti-Osa, as a popular local government area, would be more efficient, but I only spotted 6 INEC officials that day in an entire local government鈥�

Wait, just 6?!

Yes, only six people in an entire local government. I know I saw only 3 of them with official INEC cards, while the rest were probably volunteers or ad-hoc staff.

That鈥檚 crazy. What else happened? 

I know many people had left by late afternoon because of frustration with the slow rate of distribution of cards. But what was even more frustrating was the fact that they always seemed to call people that had already gone. Like, move on to the next batch already. 

At 2:30 pm, they announced that it was time for them to close, and everyone was pissed. I know a guy that has been there almost 9 times and his friend (who was also present) confirmed it. I couldn鈥檛 finish that day but I was able to collect mine at 10 am the next day with the help of an official. 

For some reason, there were quite a number of people whose details were omitted and were directed under a tree where the officials would attend to them. Up until the time I left, those officials never came out. I don鈥檛 know if they ever did. There was a lady that broke down and cried just because her details were omitted. There and then, I knew that Nigerians were really ready to vote this time. 

I can also remember the time they locked the gate on the first day after a long period of time. I remember people shouting and yelling, 鈥淕ive us our cards.鈥� There was a particular security official wearing a Tinubu-Shettima cap on his head (I believe he鈥檚 an All-Progressives Congress (APC) supporter). He stayed on the inside and was forcing people out of the gates and wasn鈥檛 very courteous. 

When people started to complain, he went inside, brought out some wires, and started beating people with them, from the inside. The officials on his side of the gate were trying to restrain him and managed to control him after some time. I was amazed that he had the guts to do such a thing in an INEC office. 

And he wasn鈥檛 the only one. With the amount of people wearing Tinubu merchandise, I had to start asking neighbors if I was truly in an INEC or APC office.

The Eti-Osa local government is highly disorganized and they need to do better. I hope people can still collect their cards because there were so many that were yet to be collected. 

So sorry you had to witness that. Would you say anything has changed about Nigeria鈥檚 electoral system from 2019 until now?

I鈥檇 say the only significant one is the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). I hope the Nigerian politicians will let this work. If BVAS is allowed, there would be a decrease in electoral violence like ballot box snatching and all. There鈥檇 be more chances of a free and fair election, like what happened in Osun State. 

I鈥檇 also say Peter Obi鈥檚 candidacy has changed the political atmosphere this season. Everyone is trying to act like an intellectual and showcase their plans. 

What would you say is your least favourite part of the electoral process? 

I hate the fact that they鈥檝e to count the votes manually. I feel technology has come a long way for Nigeria to still use manual processes in vote collation or PVC registration. It should be very simple because most adults have their Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs) and National Identification Numbers (NIN) which they can use to vote. I鈥檇 appreciate it if we could move to online voting in the coming years and make voting more seamless with BVN and NIN. 

Who do you want to vote for in 2023 and why? 

I am voting for Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) because he just seems like the only candidate without a lot of controversies. One of his rivals said he built a particular state. How can one person do that, please? It was the capital city of Nigeria for such a long time before it was changed, so how did you build it? There are so many issues going on with the APC candidate.

We also need to look at health as a factor for these candidates. Buhari has travelled out of the country so many times, he should be named the 鈥淎jala of Africa鈥�. We don鈥檛 need a repeat of that again. Healthwise, Tinubu is not sound enough. His health has deteriorated so he can鈥檛 make sensible statements. How would he represent us properly in global events? I feel he is an old man who needs to enjoy his old age and stop running for president. 

For Atiku, I only voted for Atiku because Obi was on the ticket. But the fact that he has now joined forces with Ifeanyi Okowa is horrible. That鈥檚 another disaster waiting to happen. Okowa is one of the worst governors Nigeria has ever had. With the amount of money Delta State gets monthly, it is supposed to be a destination spot for tourism. But it has now become nothing but an eyesore to look at. If you can鈥檛 manage a state properly, how would you be trusted to manage a nation?

With Atiku, he claims to be a unifier. This unifier meanwhile did a lot of fraudulent activities in Customs and illegally sold a lot of companies. And this was a Vice-President then, but how can we trust you with such a past? He definitely doesn鈥檛 get my vote for me. 

With Obi, I love the fact that he is passionate about the issues affecting Nigerians. I love his clean track record as Governor of Anambra state, with no bribery or embezzlement of funds whatsoever. Obi made sure he did a lot of work on the rural roads in Anambra and he rehabilitated and currently visits the hospitals for medical checkups. Obi represents the common man, and that鈥檚 why I am rooting for him. 

Do you know any candidates for the governorship or local government elections?

I鈥檇 say Bankole Wellington for House of Representatives for the PDP and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour for Lagos State governor in the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP).

Wait, no one from Labour Party?

Yes, to be honest. I鈥檝e searched up on governorship, National Assembly and local government candidates from the party, and I don鈥檛 think they鈥檝e so much of a strong chance to win this election. They don鈥檛 have much political work on their portfolio.

What are the top three issues you鈥檇 love Obi to fix if he is president?

Security is definitely foremost. I find it hard to travel because the roads are dangerous and flight tickets are expensive. This hurts because I鈥檓 someone that really loves to travel. 

The second is the high rate of unemployment. I graduated in 2015, and I had to stay a year without a job since it was hard to get a job in government parastatals. There should be more opportunities for job creation, and I鈥檇 like Obi to fix that. 

The third is the economy, especially with inflation. I鈥檓 so happy I鈥檓 a single woman without a family because only God knows how much I鈥檇 be paying for foodstuff then. 

Have you mobilised people to vote for the 2023 elections?

Yes, in my own small way. I called my cousins, who were at least 18 years old to vote and register for PVCs. I make noise about it all the time on social media. Even in my estate, I鈥檝e earned the nickname of 鈥淧eter Obi鈥� because there鈥檚 no conversation I鈥檇 be part of that I wouldn鈥檛 chip him in.  I always love to showcase my interest in politics and the 2023 elections wherever I go.

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Stephanie*, a fashion designer in her late twenties who has served as an INEC official in the 2015 and 2019 elections. She shared her experiences on the job and what next year鈥檚 elections for her would be like.

Why did you decide to become an election official? 

The money 鈥� I didn鈥檛 do it for patriotism or anything of the sort. For both elections, I remember I was paid around 鈧�40,000 for the job, which is some nice spare change to have.

How does one become an election official?

There are people who work for INEC full-time, but for elections you can be trained to become an adhoc staff, which is temporary.

What鈥檚 the process like?

You have to and follow the procedures like providing your details including your name and phone number. They鈥檇 then send a text to let you know the dates for training which normally happens for a couple of days.

Wow, sounds cool. So what were your responsibilities?

I was in charge of voter accreditation for both elections. In the morning, people would come with their Permanent Voter鈥檚 Card (PVC) to authenticate their identity as valid voters. There鈥檚 a register of voters in each polling unit, and the smart card reader would detect if your name is in the register of that polling unit. The accreditation process usually stops around noon, just before voting starts.

Are there other adhoc positions?

I know we鈥檙e four workers per polling unit 鈥� there are people in charge of ballot boxes and thumbprinting. NYSC corps members are also used because they can easily retrieve their details. It鈥檚 been a while so I鈥檝e forgotten some of the other roles.

Any memorable experiences from working as an election official?

I can鈥檛 say I鈥檝e had experiences that stood out for me, but I remember the smart card reader was always faulty and there was hardly ever any power supply or good data connection for it. I also know there were always representatives from APC, PDP and other parties who make election workers feel comfortable with food and drinks.

Can you elaborate on that?

Not really. Their job was to make sure elections and ballot counting are fair. As a rule of the thumb, election officials count their ballots in everyone鈥檚 presence for transparency. I believe the party agents might have had ulterior motives like currying our favour towards their side, but I鈥檓 not a mind reader.

Did you have any bad experiences?

I can鈥檛 say I have, because all I needed to do was voter accreditation, and that鈥檚 usually in the mornings. I鈥檇 mention, though, that the places election officials sleep in are usually unguarded schools. You鈥檇 usually also have to sleep with one eye open, as you are sleeping with strangers and you need to safeguard your property. Fortunately for me, I鈥檝e not suffered any bodily harm or loss of property. It鈥檚 mostly just discomfort from mosquitoes and sleeping on a chair or table.

You certainly have a choice to come from home, but it鈥檚 usually not advisable because of the restricted movement during elections.

Are you going to be an INEC official again in 2023? 

I definitely won鈥檛 be, and that鈥檚 because I鈥檓 scared there’s going to be a lot of blood on the streets with the 2023 elections. Plus, I really just want to vote and do my part as a citizen this year.

Why are you scared?

I鈥檝e seen a candidate who feels entitled to the presidential seat and would do everything possible to get there.

Do you have anyone you鈥檇 like to vote for in 2023?

For governorship and local government, I must confess I don鈥檛 know who to vote for yet. For the presidential election, it鈥檚 most likely Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Why Obi for president?

I鈥檓 just tired of power belonging only to the APC and PDP in this country. They鈥檝e both not taken the country to the greener pastures they鈥檝e frequently promised and the presence of a third force is quite unique. I鈥檓 willing to try them and see how it goes. I also believe we can vote Obi out if he doesn鈥檛 perform anyway because he doesn鈥檛 seem to be power drunk. Let鈥檚 make the APC and PDP know we can put anyone in charge, not them. That鈥檚 the purpose of a democracy.

What problems do you want Nigeria鈥檚 next president to solve? 

I would say insecurity. People have been dying from the attacks by Boko Haram and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). I鈥檇 like to travel to my nativeland and feel safe.

Poverty is another thing. The inflation has gone so crazy with the prices of food going up daily. I鈥檓 so lucky I don鈥檛 have kids because the bills I currently shoulder would have tripled. Everything is not okay in general.

Would you recommend that people should be election officials? 

No, because I feel it may be risky. With agberos roaming around and causing mischief, it鈥檚 not the safest of jobs at all.

Are you encouraging people to vote this year?

Whenever I see anyone complain of the price hikes in transportation and food, I always remind them it was the incompetence of our present leaders that caused the negative change in things. Therefore, they should take their PVC and make a conscious decision to elect the right people into power in 2023.

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Ezechukwu*, a retiree in his early sixties who has voted seven times from 1993 to 2019 and has been utterly disappointed by all the candidates he ever voted for. 

Have you ever voted?

Seven times, in fact. I voted in 1993 鈥� the M.K.O. Abiola election 鈥� 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019.

Wow. What was your first experience like?

I voted for Abiola in 1993 because he seemed to be very prepared. That man travelled around regions helping people and assisting communities. He was also able to connect with Nigerians through his love of football 鈥� I believe he was the head of the Nigerian Olympics committee at the time. He also awarded scholarships to university students. I believe these were part of the things that made him popular. 

It鈥檚 not a surprise he won that election, he even won his opponent Bashir Tofa鈥檚 local government area in Kano. There was no internet facility for that election, it was tube wires that very few people had. Even though Abiola and his running mate were Muslims, people loved them. 

Unfortunately, General Ibrahim Babangida  鈥� the Head of State at the time 鈥� annulled the election. That was even the first time I ever heard the word 鈥渁nnulled.鈥� I can remember the nationwide protests that happened in my area and all over Nigeria because the hopes of many were dashed. Honestly, that鈥檚 the only free and fair election I ever had. 

Did things change in 1999?

There was a clamour for democratic rule at that time. I voted for Olusegun Obasanjo of the People鈥檚 Democratic Party (PDP) because I believed he鈥檇 be able to lead Nigeria right due to his belief in the democratic system and past military experience. I also believed in democracy so much because that鈥檚 what books and public speakers taught us to believe. But then again, I was disappointed. The level of corruption during Obasanjo鈥檚 time was too much.

But I voted for him again in 2003. I wanted to give him a second chance, but I think the man just made up his mind to be worse than his military counterparts in civilian rule. 

Did you get a fresh start in 2007?

I voted for Yar鈥橝dua because he seemed to be a better civilian president, but sadly didn鈥檛 live long enough. He implemented some things I liked such as the Niger Delta peace treaty. It鈥檚 such a shame he died.

I felt Jonathan would carry on the good work of Yar鈥橝dua and voted for him in 2011. I can remember standing in the sun just to vote and yet, I was disappointed when he came into power with more corruption. All these politicians are just devils. 

I voted for Buhari in the 2015 elections. It was a time of high insecurity and I was scared to go out to vote at first because I was afraid of getting shot. Looking back now, I wish I didn鈥檛 vote because I now realise there was a lot of deceit and falsehood in that election. So many beautiful promises, especially of the dollar to a naira exchange rate, never got fulfilled.

Did that change anything for 2019?

I still voted for the Buhari government thinking things could improve. In fact, the rain beat my wife and I just because we wanted to exercise our right to vote. But I鈥檓 not seeing any improvements still. The poor state of security and infrastructure hasn鈥檛 changed. I remember traveling from Lagos to Makurdi in my younger days but that kind of trip is a death wish now. 

I hate the way elections are intriguing, with songs and different stories and rivalries. But once you vote, that person will be sure to disappoint. And this is what鈥檒l still happen with those three frontrunners for 2023 election. Any of them that gets into power will surely disappoint.

How are you so sure about that?

I鈥檝e voted in seven elections in my lifetime, and with the exception of Yar鈥橝dua, all of them disappointed. They all said that Nigeria would be better but it still isn鈥檛. I鈥檓 definitely not voting for any of the candidates come 2023 because I don鈥檛 want to be disappointed again.

Which election is your favourite?

It鈥檚 definitely the 1993 election, and this was because of the Option A4 form. I believe if we continued to use this, it would have brought about a very great system of governance. 

What鈥檚 the Option A4 form?

Before you campaign as a presidential candidate, the Option A4 form would be passed round your ward for indigenes to vote for you, then your local government area, then your state and even your political party before you finally kickstart national campaigns. But all these levels must vote for you or approve of you running for president using the Option A4 form before you can proceed to the next stage. That system makes sure whoever is campaigning is capable of the job and has a good track record. But now, any godfather can just step in and put his preferred candidate on the ballot.

What鈥檚 your least favourite thing about the electoral process?

Vote-buying. I hate the way politicians can buy off a whole village to win an election. It鈥檚 largely due to the high level of poverty. I also hate the use of thugs to harass you into voting. I really hate it.

What would you like the next government to change about Nigeria? 

First of all, I鈥檇 like for the government to be objective. For instance, I know Buhari doesn鈥檛 interfere with elections 鈥� PDP wouldn鈥檛 have won in Osun State. The next president should also be that way. Let the campaigns run their course. 

I鈥檇 also like the naira to dollar exchange rate to change, and I want to feel safe travelling from one state to another without issues. The next government should try and be sincere about the real state of insecurity in Nigeria. 

If the next government can put aside its self-interest, the country will be a better place.

This week鈥檚 subject of The Nigerian Voter is Umar, a tech freelancer in his early twenties who refuses to vote because none of the 2023 presidential candidates are worthy of his standards.

Have you ever voted before?

No, and I don鈥檛 plan on voting anytime soon.

What made you take this decision?

I don鈥檛 think Nigeria has gone forward over the years, except when Yar鈥橝dua came on, but he died too soon. I don鈥檛 see the point in voting when I know whoever is coming in is going to be the same as, or worse than, the last government. 

How did Yar鈥橝dua stand out for you? 

It was the models he had in mind 鈥� his felt so packed and comprehensive. One could see how he was trying to unify Nigeria with the peace treaty with the Niger Delta boys. He was a man who tried to make Nigeria function as a single unit. I feel every candidate should be able to transcend every form of tribal bias that Nigerians have come to accept.

Were there any other factors that stood out for you?

Honestly, trying to sign the peace treaty with the Niger Delta was a huge step because the Niger Delta was, and still is, a huge revenue point for us. I also feel that as Yar鈥橝dua went on, he would have addressed the issues of education, power, and some other issues. 

I believe if we have power as a country, it鈥檒l drive industrialisation and production, which is what the success of an economy is all about. What can you offer other parts of the world in exchange for money? I feel he鈥檇 have solved all these during his time. 

Others that came after him haven鈥檛 lived up to that. Look at Jonathan鈥檚 time, for instance. People felt they were enjoying his tenure, but he just ended up eating away all of our reserves. Nigeria is still a young country compared to the United States, or the United Kingdom, so we can still get it right but with the right orientation. We need a Nigerian who can think of the future and not just the present. We also need a president who can sacrifice for this country.

I鈥檓 curious about what you think of Buhari

Buhari was very sluggish when he came into the office. He had contested in three elections before he won but choosing his cabinet took a long time. You don鈥檛 start to find soldiers when you鈥檙e already on your way to the battlefield. You鈥檙e meant to know who can do what, with their administrative capacity and what not. 

However, I believe he was trying for some time, and then came the issue of his health. I feel that after he came back from his medical trip to the UK, that was just the end of Buhari鈥檚 government. 

What does your dream president look like?

The first characteristic has to be a good track record of good governance. Whoever you鈥檝e managed or whichever portfolio you have, I鈥檇 ask myself  鈥� was this person a visionary, or was this person just following orders? Some people make it to the top, but they still have nothing to offer.

This is part of the reason I believed in Buhari at some point, because of his track record in the military regime. But then, we saw that he couldn鈥檛 replicate what he did in a democracy, because it鈥檚 trickier. And if I鈥檓 to be very honest, Nigeria isn鈥檛 ready for democracy. We鈥檙e very unruly and we鈥檙e always trying to cut corners. I feel that democracy is made for people with a sane orientation, people that follow rules.

So, you don鈥檛 think you鈥檒l ever vote? 

Eventually, if I ever see someone who truly has Nigeria at heart, then I know I鈥檓 going to vote. The frontrunners right now all have bad records. These are people I know I don鈥檛 want to vote for, so I just choose to stay neutral.

What do you have against the frontrunners?

Let鈥檚 start with Peter Obi. The people of Anambra can fully attest to whether he did good work in the state or not. Now, I feel he鈥檚 made the election saga turn into a tribal game. I don鈥檛 believe in that, as I鈥檓 from the North-Central.

With Tinubu and the system of thuggery in Lagos, I fear how the country would be if he becomes president. Nigeria would be in ruins. Atiku is the least favourite for me because that man has nothing to offer Nigeria.

But Peter Obi seems aligned with your positions. Why not him still?

I don鈥檛 think he left Anambra in a good state. And as for him leaving money in his cabinet when he left office, how鈥檚 that a good thing? How can there be famine in the land and you鈥檙e saving all the farm produce? Some of these things don鈥檛 make sense. I feel it was just a ploy to gain followers for when he runs for the presidency. The person I鈥檇 choose as president is Babatunde Fashola. If he says now that he鈥檚 running for the presidency, I鈥檒l definitely get my Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and vote for him.

Why does Fashola deserve your vote?

I was in Lagos when he was governor, and I believe he鈥檚 someone who would be able to manage Nigeria鈥檚 resources adequately. I feel he has the administrative ability to rule the country. 

When he saw a gap in the transportation system and commuting wasn鈥檛 all that easy, what did he do? He introduced the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system. During his time, Lagos was as clean and as safe as could be. What else do I need asides from security, good roads, and an effective transportation system? 

Have you considered candidates from lesser-known parties?

The problem is they鈥檙e not frontrunners. In Nigeria, it鈥檚 mostly a two-party system if we tell ourselves the truth. This is the first time we can see someone from a smaller party as part of the frontrunners. I also feel if there was a candidate that was from a smaller party, had a good track record, and also had the same hype as Peter Obi, I鈥檇 vote for him.

Since you鈥檙e not voting, are you willing to live with the consequences of whoever becomes president?

Even if I had a candidate in mind and I vote, and others don鈥檛 have the same mindset as me, he wouldn鈥檛 win. I believe Nigeria is going to get it right someday. Even if I leave the country, I鈥檇 most likely just study and come back. If I wanted to japa, I鈥檇 have done it long before now. Nigeria would be better if we know that all the tribalistic madness can be done away with. But with the high level of illiteracy in the country, I doubt that鈥檒l happen anytime soon.

I know that no one man can change Nigeria alone. Whoever becomes the next president, we鈥檇 all be here to enjoy the rewards or suffer the consequences.