In recent times, political awareness has taken a different dimension in the sense that it has tremendously improved. The rate of political consciousness, participation and acceptance has made a huge headway. However there is a major problem with the kind of political orientation our people have imbibed which I see as misleading and detrimental to our development as citizens.

As we all know, voting is a very important and prerequisite exercise which must be undergone before the emergence of any legitimate leader in any nation that practices democracy. The question that is always dropped into my mind whenever the issue of elections and voting comes up is:

"what exactly do we consider during elections before giving our votes?" Is it the party of the candidate or the person of the candidate?

This is a very serious and sensitive matter that every eligible voter must deal with before 2019 elections come in.

So far, we have tested and seen the results and realities of our collective decisions so far. I am not writing to attack anybody but, from my viewpoint, I am irked to clarify some disturbing issues which have plunged us into this hardship we are all taking part in. My words may be blunt and itching to ears but, I have no choice than to vehemently vent my displeasures and observations not minding whose ox is gud.

Although, it has been settled in several court cases that political parties are the recipients of electoral votes and not the candidates in the country. However, the decision as much as common sense is concerned is baseless and unreasonable. This mentality has badly misled voters and has prevented them from actually knowing about the kind of person they are about to vote into elective positions. During the last general elections and even past elections, most of the electorates who came out to vote did not know whom they were giving their votes they were rather asking after party logos (aged men, women and the less literate voters were the most susceptible). Their mentalities were party based. They did not know that party is just a platform and that it cannot rule or lead a country, that it can neither deliver on campaign promises nor manifestoes.

Political parties are mere mediums that eligible party members can legally declare their intentions to contest for an elective office. They are not living beings that can govern or lead a country but, the candidates using them do. So it is trite and imperative to fight to discover the person or candidate a party is presenting as it's flag bearer before delving into giving out your votes.

The numerous problems we are currently facing - the economic recession, security challenges, unemployment, sophisticated corruption cases, consistent breach of freedom of speech, political witch-hunt and other undemocratic manifestations - are the resultant effects of the mistake we all made during the last elections. We considered the party and not the candidate. If we considered the candidate, history would have deterred us from toeing such path. We only looked at the party probably because we were all fed up with the former ruling party. It is true because before the election, everybody was clamouring for a change of party without or little recourse to the antecedent of the flag bearer of the new party. The defects of that decision is what we are all facing today.

There is acute hunger in the country, no employment, poor security of lives and properties, death tolls recorded on a daily basis, favouritism and nepotism in most appointments, more sophisticated and refined corruption in high places. All because we did not evaluate the party flag bearer before ushering him into office.

We have to change and have a rethink. We have all heard, seen and felt the situation of the country. 2019 is fast approaching and soon party posters will flood the streets and every nook and cranny of the country as campaign will take full force. Before you decide on which party to give your vote, take a look at the candidate on the poster, research about him, ask valid questions about him on a very objective and critical viewpoint. Be more conscious of the candidate and not the party. No matter the sweet gifts presented by the party take them but, analyze the candidate on your own and on objective public opinion before making whomsoever it may be your candidate. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. A word is enough for the wise.

A more disturbing case is that some people who pose themselves as ardent party members or supporters have refused to accept the truth as it glares before their very eyes. It makes me think if these people are real supporters or sycophants or maybe should I call them praise singers. They have decided not to tell themselves the truth and have vowed to mislead their followers with information garnished and flavoured with destructive sentiments. They can do anything for the government in power so long as he belongs to their party not giving heed to his flaws and incapacitation. This is bad for our collective development and it mars our opportunity of ever taking charge of the affairs of this country. Being objective in handling issues that bother on human existence and national growth portray one as a very good and intelligent observer. For the fact that the person in power is your father or party leader doesn't make him infallible. A situation where innocent citizens are being killed with little or no action taken by the leader yet some people will not bother because the leader is their man. I won't blame those people because their relatives are not yet victims. A situation where some people have the right to move about with sophisticated weapons without caution. What is wrong with our people? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Are we shying away from our duties because of the expectations of a reward in return? We need to change, be objective and face the reality.

Furthermore, I urge every civilized and eligible voter to give a stiff resistance to party imposition of candidate. This is because we are old enough to make our choice and take independent decisions devoid of any unscrupulous interference from party agents or leaders. They have the right to choose for themselves during their primaries but, we have the exclusive and inalienable rights to decide who becomes our leader. Our future is what is in question and not theirs because after the imposition, the effect will be on us, the ordinary citizens. We must go for a leader who has a good track record of personal, family and community development skills, someone who is democratic and abides by the rule of law, someone who is intelligent with human conscious, someone who can transform the economy of a nation no matter how bad he met it because charity begins at home.

At this point what we need is a new hand and new head. What our present leaders have for us have been exhausted so far in bringing the country where it is today. Their ideas have elapsed that is why recycling them will only take us backward contrary to their campaign promises. They have virtually used up their ideologies and are now left with absolutely nothing to give out again, allowing them to continue as our leaders is giving them a free hand to clear the coffers of the country's economy. They can't be satisfied for they have itching fingers, always wanting to have unfettered access to the country's treasury. They have lost leadership prowess, what they are now good at is stealing and piling monies for their children and unborn generations.

Think twice before you take that decision. I rest my case.

Comr Ezeagu Thomas,