Warns against political thuggery, fraud
By Henry Uche, Lagos
With the general elections barely two weeks away, the Chairman & Founder of Africa Leadership Group, ALG, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, has told Nigerians to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to pass judgement on political leaders.
Addressing newsmen at the official launch of the ALG leadership Assessment Tool in Lagos, the clergyman said voters’ judgement should be either in favour of elected officials who have achieved sufficient feats, while those who have done nothing for the people should be voted out.
Ighodalo who maintained that the current economic comatose was a deliberate scheme against the people stressed, “Nigeria cannot afford to get it wrong this time. We must intentionally and carefully select leaders fit for purpose at this time who can lead us out of this national crisis.”
He condemned the heightened level of acrimony among the major political parties and the excruciating economic hardship occasioned by severe shortages of fuel and the redesigned banknotes, resulting in public disturbances and riots throughout the country.
He urged Nigerians to maintain peace and rather use their voices and votes wisely, after evaluating all political candidates against clear principles and qualities of strong leadership.
According to him, a candidate to vote for must a nationalist, must have a vision, must be energetic, must be physically and mentally healthy and must have an adequate understanding of the times.
“We need a man with Vision, a man of integrity who possesses moral, ethical principles and values. He must be a motivator- who Inspires and does not pressure people to follow. He must be educated, [someone] who possesses a strong intellectual capacity and diverse knowledge.
“Nigeria need a man who must be accessible – who must surround himself with people of truth and honesty. We need a team player, he must understand the requirements of the Office – understands politics and effectively manages the complexity of bureaucracy, and above all, he must be a godly man. We don’t need desperate men who can do the unthinkable to get to power”
He warned those who are ready to be used as agents against the polls to rethink and desist. “People must think of consequences. Nobody is insulated against the consequences of what he le she does. The youths must have a conscience and ‘Say no’ to electoral violence.
“The security personnel to be deployed must deliver professionally. I believe they have been trained for this job. Let no sad news be heard from any quarter. The police and its sister security personnel must be unbiased. This election must hold as scheduled and we hope that INEC must pronounced winners which much reflect the number of votes cast and counted at the polling booth.
“Nigeria is at risk of becoming a failed state due to decades of worsening leadership, poor governance, and endemic corruption. The already fragile fault lines borne from ethno-religious conflicts have escalated. The polity has worsened with banditry, kidnapping and terrorism, further contributing to national insecurity. As Nigeria approaches the 2023 elections, the time to act is now. VOTE!
“ALG is committed to ensuring that your lawful votes count. We will collaborate with other credible organisations and volunteers to ensure the integrity of free and fair elections by observing polling stations to verify that lawfully registered voters can vote in an environment that is fair and free from coercion, intimidation, or violence and that the results announced reflect the votes counted. We shall note and report any election irregularities in accordance with INEC guidelines,” he assured.