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I remember sitting in Mr. Kayode’s geography class in secondary school, an atlas in hand looking at political boundaries; countries beyond my sphere. “I will reach the North Pole,” I often said to friends and family, oblivious to the fact that I was sitting in tropical sub-Saharan Africa and had nev
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81% of Nigerians will vote next year

Eighty-one percent of eligible Nigerians are willing to vote in forthcoming elections, according to a poll released yesterday.

jpeg&STREAMOID=iXH8GAOYqbU8RsKLSQfdzy6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxTBxz3DF6ftWImZ6FoKNZzFnW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-The poll, ‘Current Pulse of Nation’s Survey’, carried out on topical national issues, sampled 5000 respondents, aged 18 years and above, from across the country.

‘Current Pulse of Nation’s Survey’ is conducted by Research and Marketing Services (RMS), an affiliate of TNS Global, a market research company and Gallup International’s representative in the country.

Adeola Tejumola, the CEO of the company, during a press briefing to announce the statistics, said the polls was centred on the forthcoming general elections because it is the most topical issue as the country celebrates its 50th Independence Day Anniversary..

‘More Nigerians will vote next year’

Mr. Tejumola said the reason for the high figure could probably be attributed to the “one man, one vote campaign”, or INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) administration suddenly improved, or just a reflection of the governance of the day.” “The challenges people raise concern for the most were the epileptic power supply, the increasing crime rate, coupled with the regular kidnapping going on, and corruption continues to rank high on the list,” he said. “For me, the fact that people are beginning to be aware that corruption is an issue, that they acknowledge that it does exist and the need to eradicate corruption in itself, is welcoming news.”

Another problem identified as major by the respondents, were low education quality and poor state of basic facilities.

Only 35 percent of the respondents were, however, confident that the forth coming elections will be free and fair, with half of the respondents expressing concerns about the success of the elections, in spite of the 81 percent willing to vote.

Aggrey Maposa, the company’s chief operating officer (COO), said the difference shows that people think the election process has improved, “though not yet perfect.” “Compared with the previous challenges that INEC used to have, people have seen improvements in the process of the elections. Even though, they understand that the process is not yet perfect, they are willing to vote and express their opinion,” he said.

‘Poor power is killing businesses’

Mr. Tejumola also said 81 percent of Nigeria’s eligible voters support President Goodluck Jonathan’s candidature in the race, noting that the polls was conducted before the presidential aspirants announced to run for office. “But it’s not just one-sided; if 81 percent are saying that President Jonathan should run, in the same report, 54 percent are saying they are not happy with the crime rate, 24 percent are saying that corruption is killing them, and 67 percent are saying that the epileptic power supply is killing their business,” he added.

The report also states that 63 percent of Nigerians will consider character in voting for a presidential candidate, while 33 percent would consider political affiliation. Thirty-one percent will consider political ideology and 27 percent will put the content of the manifesto ahead of other things. The poll also shows a slight popularity advantage for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), going into the next elections, while Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) had marginal drops in the number of respondents planning to vote for them.

Mr. Tejumola, however, advised presidential aspirants to consider Nigerians’ expectations going into the next elections. “Expectations of Nigerians include generation of employment opportunities, dependable electricity to drive national development, poverty eradication and free qualitative education, amongst others; a serious government would want to concentrate on doing these things for the people,” he said.

Mr. Tejumola also said the research was carried out by the company as “its Corporate Social Responsibility”, and promised that the company will continue to sample public opinion on “topical issues affecting the nation.”

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jpeg&STREAMOID=qVIrSGIvzQJzKTmQkSVWmi6SYeqqxXXqBcOgKOfTXxR5rUs9XOQUAdtYjHRq$9DInW_PgxgftuECOcfJwS6Jtlp$r8Fy$6AAZ9zyPuHJ25T7a9GKDSxsGxtpmxP0VAUyHL6IDcZHtmM2t7xO$FHdJG95dFi6y2Uma3vSsvPpVyo-July 20 2010, Concord House, London: The inauguration of the Save Nigeria Group (SNG), UK Chapter. In attendance was Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly; Yinka Odumakin; Nasir El Rufai; pastors from the Gain Group and other activists that formed the SNG, UK chapter. I was representing the Transform Nigeria Movement. I listened carefully as these gentlemen enunciated their vision and mission to cleanse the atmosphere of Nigeria politics so that - quoting Mr Odumakin - “a Mr Elombah can come back to Nigeria one day and contest for the House of Representatives and be assured that the votes of the people in his constituency will count.”

It was a moving occasion, as Mr Bakare - who has this extraordinary ability to speak with such force and emotion that turn your eyes misty - narrated how Nigeria has been held in the jugular by thugs that have captured our nation, allowed by a seemingly docile populace whose “social mobility” has quenched. What I heard that day seems to hold out hope that, at last, some people are determined to bring forth the change we all desire. At the end of the launch, I attended another meeting with a journalist from Nigeria, where I confirmed what Donald Duke, former governor of Cross River State, said at another gathering of the SNG - that Nigerian politicians look at activists as “wooly-eyed dreamers”. This journalist (I will call him Mr J) said if we are hoping for a Nigeria where the people will freely elect their leaders in a free and peaceful election, we still have a very long way to go. Some of the things Mr J narrated cannot simply be published. Suffice it to say he pointed out that “Nigeria is not a country, but an organized criminal outpost for crooks whose interest is personal aggrandisement and not the business of taking care of its citizens”.

Mr J further told me that whatever I read is merely a tip of the iceberg and that if I get to know the actual amount of looting that goes for governance, or the debauched life lived by some of the people I admire in government, I won’t sleep at night.

Recently, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel, publicly engaged in fisticuffs over a dispute of who should cut the ribbon announcing the opening of a simple bridge in Sango-Ota, in Ogun State. How did thugs get to capture governance in Nigeria? Mr Bakare said at the inauguration that he will never encourage any sane human to go into Nigerian politics in this polluted environment. But he added that members of the SNG might go into politics, “after the atmosphere has been cleansed”.

The RSVP process

I think what we are seeing is a civilian version of the military in power. Or the militarised version of the civilians in power. Who killed Bayo Ohu and Godwin Agbroko? IBB felt challenged by Mamman Vatsa and charged him with coup plotting and killed him...now tell me who felt uncomfortable with former Attorney General, Bola Ige and had him murdered? Who killed Harry Marshall, Dikibo, Odunayo Olagbaju? Who killed Ahmed Pategi and his police orderly? Who killed Victor Nwankwo, the younger brother of Arthur Nwankwo? Who killed Kudirat Abiola, John Nunu, Funsho Williams, Chimere Ikoku, Ayodeji Daramola, Dele Arojo and Isyaku Muhammad? With the passing of each year, the list grows longer and longer..

Mr Bakare believes no good Nigerian can succeed as a peoples’ politician and serve the people within the polluted waters of Nigerian politics because the others will change him into one of their kind. Mr Bakare also believes that only when the people exercise their rights and take powers back into their hands, by selecting their candidates and ensuring free, credible and peaceful elections, will such a cleansing begin. He called this cleansing process RSVP: R-Register to vote, S- Select your candidates, V-Vote, P-Protect your votes.

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