We are tired of voting
Sir, In view of the parlous state of the Nigerian economy, I doubt if the nation can still afford the cost of holding elections in 2019. My doubt is strengthened by the body language of President Muhammadu Buhari, which abhors waste of scarce resources. Will there still be candidates with hundreds of millions or even billions to invest in the polls? It appears strange that, in the midst of this gloom and doom, we are still hearing about supplementary polls and reruns outright in some states - events triggered by INEC and politicians’ inefficiency during the general elections. Has Nigeria been sentenced to perpetual electioneering? Funds wasted on litigations and elections since 1999 could have been put to better use. The greater surprise is that nobody is punished for causing election cancellation in several local government areas (as in Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Benue South and Enugu East) or an entire state (as in Rivers). Nigerian taxpayers are compelled to bear the cost of organising fresh polls. The electorates have become election-weary. I know for a fact that not many of my people in Akwa Ibom, for instance, are likely to come out for any other voting process anytime soon, even though the Election Petitions Tribunal ordered fresh elections in 18 out of the state’s 31 LGAs. If the Appeal Court (where both the APC and the PDP have gone to seek relief) retains that directive, I’m sure that not up to 20 per cent of registered voters will bother to vote again. Besides, voting in 18 LGAs has no chance of changing the outcome of the previous governorship poll. The PDP candidate, Governor Udom Emmanuel, has already spent six months in office and therefore has a lot of projects to show. Are the people going to prefer another candidate with only promises to give? So, I don’t understand this rigmarole. The hundreds of millions of naira that may go into fresh polls could solve many problems crying for attention in the states. If somebody did not win an election, it is better to name the person that won than order a rerun. We are tired of losing millions of man-hours together with millions of scarce naira. In times like these, creativity comes handy.
Mr.Ekong Utip, No. 34 Frank Akpan Street, Off Marine
Road, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, 09035640635 ekong.utip@ yahoo.com