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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
As the 2023 General elections are fast approaching, Nigerians have been advised not to make mistakes of the past by not electing leaders based on sentiments of ethnicity and religion.
They should rather base their choice on the character, the vision and past track-records of those vying for the different elective offices in order to ensure that the country was properly governed.
The advice was given by a former Chaplain of the Chapel of Victory, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATBU), Bauchi, Dr. Emmanuel Ndububa while speaking at a special Church service on Sunday.
The Clergyman lamented that the situation Nigeria is in currently, needs a President with great capacity to turn things around for good stressing that the situation is so terrible now to a point of confusion.
Emmanuel Ndububa, who is a lecturer at the University of Abuja, said this in an interview shortly after delivering a message during the ordination of a Pastor, Kalu Joseph, and the inauguration of the Council of the Chapel of Victory, ATBU, Bauchi on Sunday.
He said that: “Nigerians should be more concerned about electing people who have character, pedigree and vision. When I see some Nigerians making emphasis based on tribe and other sentiments, I feel upset” .
He stressed that, “What we are in now in Nigeria requires people with capacity, people who can do the thing (governance) because it is doable. When you look at other countries, you see leaders who are delivering” .
According to him, “The people should be those who have done something before we can make reference to at the Presidency, at the states, National Assembly and all elective offices. Look at the history and see people who have been marginalized and give them a chance, people must be seen to be carried along and that is very important.”
The University Don charged Nigerians to elect a President that will include everyone in governance and not one that would be narrow-minded based on religion and ethnicity.
Emmanuel Ndububa said that, “Anybody who seeks to be President of Nigeria now, must seek to carry everybody along, he must not be narrow-minded based on ethnicity or religion” .
“Once you exclude some people, they won’t care. It’s like, carry you burden alone and they will leave you alone. But nation building requires all hands to be on deck, I think that is thale mistake many leaders in Nigeria are making”, he opined.
He stressed that, “If I am to be the President of Nigeria today, my first duty would be to see how I can unite Nigerians, give all of them a sense of belonging so that when I say ‘let’s go this way,’ they’ll believe it and go with me” .
“If you don’t start with that, forget about every other thing. You must carry everybody along, because nation building is not just the duty of one man or two people. That you are leading does not mean the other people are not important, and to lead the rest, you must give them a sense of belonging”, he further said.
The University Don added that, “There are a lot of people who do not seem to have a sense of belonging in Nigeria now and it is not only on ethnic basis, gender basis, the youths” .
In his opinion, “The youths for example in Nigeria today, are disillusioned, they feel they are not wanted. Once any President does these things and he has a programme and a vision, people will follow” .
“If you look at what is happening in other countries, you don’t even have to start discovering anything new to do, its just straightforward. That’s why we are baffled at where we are at the moment,” he said.
Emmanuel Ndububa appealed to politicians that not to sponsor thugs to cause violence and unrest just because they want to win elections.
He appealed that: “please, let them allow Nigeria to be. The average Nigerian wants peace, he want is to work, earn a living and see progress in their life, they should just give us peace.”
He then called on Nigerians to support the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct free, fair and credible elections.
He said: “If our elections have credibility, if there is integrity in our electoral system, the next thing is to appeal to Nigerians not to give these rabble-rousers a chance to be in government again. But it’s difficult to appeal to them if they are not sure that the system will work, if they know that somehow, these people will rig themselves in, they won’t care”.
According to him, “So, the issue of our elections having integrity is germaine. Once Nigerians see that it is working, they will troop out to go and vote and choose those leaders they want and we’re so tired that we are no longer looking at whether you’re my brother or not, but anybody that can do the work.”
