VAI Set to Prepare Voters ahead of 2023 General Election

The Voters Awareness Initiative VAI has said that come 2023, Nigeria must get it right as it is ready to educate voters ahead of the race.
President of the initiative, Wale Ogunade, made this known in a statement in Lagos yesterday.

According to him, arrangements have been concluded to begin voters’ education to correct the causes of anomalies usually recorded before, during, and after elections.

Ogunade said that Nigerians must get it right in 2023, urging everyone to be at work to achieve the desired result. He labeled 2021 as a year of “New Beginning of Getting Our Electoral Process Right.”

He emphasized that the year comes with a tremendous promise of greatness in terms of political activities as the nation moves toward another round of general elections, beginning with Anambra and, much later, Ekiti governorship elections.

“As a result of the preceding, VAI has concluded arrangements to begin a series of voter education.

“This is with the sole aim of correcting these anomalies and a lot of other issues that have confined the nation to this horrible and painful political situation.”

Ogunade noted that the initiative would involve traditional rulers, democratic institutions, political class, Civil Society Organisations, and voters to get it right in 2023.

“We have talked for so long in this country, and it is becoming clear now that talk is cheap.

“It is now time for action. We are all victims of the mismanaged system. We suffer amid plenty.

“We all desire productive, working and well-managed system, but we often shy away when it matters most, but questioned when does it matter?

“Could it before the elections, when we ought to register as voters, update our details and status, know our polling units, interrogate various candidates, including conducting background checks, antecedents, and pedigree, to get the best from the pack?

“Or during the election proper when we ought to come out and exercise our franchise; conduct ourselves most civilly and ensure that our votes count, as well as eschew violence?

Ogunade added that:
“However, rather than toe the above line, we allowed sentiments and other primordial issues to becloud our sense of reasoning, thus repeating the cycle of carelessly recruiting inept and self-centred leaders.”