2023: ‘Vote with your brains, not stomach,’ Gbenga Daniel urges Nigerians
Lack of political sophistication of the electorate including poor understanding of democracy is responsible for the inept and clueless leadership in the country, and until there a meaningful attitudinal change on the part of Nigerians the quest for good governance in the country will remain an idle fancy.
Former Governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who made these submissions on Tuesday at the fourth edition of the annual lecture organised by Freedom Online newspaper in Lagos, said that Nigerians must make intelligent decisions when voting in the 2023 elections.
According to Daniel, the general election is another opportunity for citizens to contribute actively towards meaningful change.
“It isn’t possible to sell an item and still dictate to the buyer how to use it. Once the vote is purchased, you can’t ask how they use what you have sold,” he said.
“Nigerians have to realise that the only way to see a developed Nigeria is to ensure that they vote with their brain and not their stomach, because a night with hunger is better than four years of pain and struggle, I believe.
“The next election gives an opportunity for us to rewrite the destiny of this country. So, the decision we make next year will be with us for another eight years; that is long enough to make the country better or worse.”
Daniel added that Nigeria can become a better nation only when citizens are intentional about having realists as leaders.
“The only way we can leave the trenches is by putting into power individuals who are realists, not just PowerPoint presentations and well-written manifestos that end up in the dustbin of history,” he said.
“We need leadership that has an automatic balance with talking and showing work.
“Anybody can rant and make promises, but we have to be intentional to ensure that we let those who know how to bring to life these visions.”
