Dear Nigerian electorates. The 2027 general elections are fast approaching. It is not the first election to be held in our beloved country. However, like the ones before it, this election presents an opportunity, one that legally comes in every four year cycle, for Nigerians to decide who will govern their affairs in the public space. This decision is very crucial as it will determine the direction of the country economically, which will have direct and indirect effects on Nigerians in both the short and long term.

For some of you that have just come of age (18 years, which is the legal age prescribed by the law for eligible voters), this will be your first; while for others, you may or may not have been participating in the voting process, based on your conviction. But as a patriotic citizen, it remains your core duty to get involve in the process of electing public leaders that will govern your affairs. According to the Irish statesman and philosopher, "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing". This statement, coupled with the one made in the last part of the paragraph above, are enough reasons to justify your participation in an election.

Moving forward, your duty as electorates is not just to cast your votes for your preferred candidates during elections. More importantly it is your duty to know which, among the candidate(s), is/are the most credible, deserving of your vote. This knowledge is not one to be anchored on sentiment (religion or ethnicity) or personal affiliation (family and business ties), but on facts (truth). It is only when you are well informed that you will be able to make the right objective choice of who to vote for. Also, be aware that, by your objective decision, you will not only be putting your life at stake, but those of other Nigerians as well should you vote in incompetent leader(s). Therefore, as a patriotic citizen, your responsibility lies in your ability to choose and vote in credible and visionary leaders for the general good.

As a guide to determine the right candidates for the job of public administration, it is imperative for you to ask the right questions, including but not limited to the following: What are their achievements in the private and the public sector (evidential results)? What qualifies them to lead in public office (intellectual capacity or experience)? Are their reputation built on accountability and integrity (trust factor)? What are their positions and plans to dealing with current issues bedeviling the country such as corruption, epileptic power supply, insecurity, poor healthcare, failing infrastructures, unemployment, etc. (realism)? 

More importantly, as an electorate, your belief in a chosen candidate(s) does not infer that your choice will be other people's choice. Just as you have the right to choose your candidate(s), so too you will need to respect the rights of other electorates on the choice of their candidate(s). Therefore, it will be wrong for you to resort to intimidation of others whose choice differ from yours. Remember, as an electorate, you are allowed to campaign for your candidate(s) and to woo the opposition to your camp, but only through well-informed or convincing arguments, not coercing them with threats of violence, bullying and harassments in order to scare them away from performing their civic duty. Just as no one should deprive you of exercising your right to vote, so too do others.

As a patriotic citizen, you should know that election is not a declaration of WAR! As such you should be law abiding and should go about participating in the exercise in a civilised manner. While the choices of electorates on who to vote for may differ, in the long run everyone is desirous of a country that works. Thus, as an electorate, you are not at war with your fellow citizens, and never for once should you engage in violence at election time. Remember, elections will come and go. So, why should you destroy your relationship with others when contesting candidates themselves will build bridges of peace after the exercise?

As an electorate, you are no different from evil politicians if you become a party to rigging elections, resort to buying and/or selling votes, threaten the peace by instigating violence, stirring up ethnic sentiments, bullying supporters of the opposition among other negative acts. Why should you turn a seamless constitutional exercise into one that is burdened by irregularities and conflicts, when all you need to do is speak loudly with the power of your vote by simply casting it for your preferred candidate(s)?

As an electorate, see every election year as a national project that you need to get involved in to move the country forward. What this means is that the manner of your participation will either determine its success or failure. If an election exercise fails or is mired in controversies, then it means you, as an electorate, has failed. This is because, in every election, the power to decide lies in the hands of the electorates, not in the hands of politicians.

Finally, we cannot be going through the same cycle of uncertainty, violence and irregularities in every election year. The electorates must begin to think of what the future holds for their children and the next generation, as well as the role they are supposed to play in nation building. It is not enough for them to keep blaming politicians for the poor state of the country when they allow themselves to become their puppets. If after more than 60 years of independence the cry of "Up NEPA!" by the electorates has not changed, but is now inherited by their children, and possibly, the next generation, then it means that Nigerian electorates remain the greatest jokers of the 21st century!