First-time voter speaks:
Michael Audu, 25, is going to vote for the first time next week. An indigene of Niger State, he is presently undergoing his Masters degree programme at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Here, he talks about the voting process, the kind of leader Nigeria nee
Daily Trust: How does it feel finally being able to vote? Honestly, nothing special. However, I feel I would now have an opportunity to analyse those who want to be our leaders and have a say on who wins. I don’t feel particularly excited. It’s more of an adventure, wherein I get to see how things unfold.
DT: You are twenty-five years old. Why are you just getting your voter’s card?
I didn’t get my Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) before now because of the stress involved. But this year I decided to press on for it. DT: What motivated you?
It started when our pastor insisted that we should. He pointed out that just complaining isn’t good enough, but that we should make our voice heard through our votes. It even got to the point where he asked those who didn’t have their PVCs to stand up. That was a real push for me.
DT: Are you confident that your candidate will win?
I’m not even overly sure of my candidate yet. Personally, it’s a complex mix for me. From my own perspective, the very obvious candidates that have the chance of winning at the presidential level are Buhari and Atiku. The others are doing their best, of course they have a voice, but if you ask me, they have no track record in the kind of positions they are vying for and are simply speaking English. Across other areas, yes, they have a track record, but not public office.
Also, I don’t think one person can make a change, and only a team can. So, I think the only person that can change Nigeria is a bad person who chooses to be good. He would really be able to tackle the bad guys. But a good guy would find it hard to succeed. I am still sceptical, but of course I will eventually make a good choice.
DT: How much confidence do you have in the Nigerian electoral process?
A lot. Where people miss it is when they assume that it is overly rigged. But what I think is true is that the people at the grassroots vote based on the information they are given. When I went to collect my PVC, the people I saw are not those you find on social media or have smart phones. They don’t necessarily watch NTA but listen to what the politician at the grassroots says. So, when we see a large crowd going towards a certain direction, we think the election is rigged. I don’t really think so, but that certain persons play their game well at the grassroots. I think the process is solid, it’s just that manipulation is at a higher level, that is the mind level.
DT: What message do you have for fellow first-time voters?
We should, of course, go out and vote. I know getting the card is not enough because it’s a two-phase process. You first have to validate before voting. It is all about sacrifice. If we keep sacrificing, we might actually get our votes to count.