ELECTION BOYCOTTERS ARE THE REAL ENEMIES OF DEMOCRACY; AND NOT THOSE WHO ARE IN THE OPPOSITION PARTIES.

Many Nigerians (as well as Notable Nigerian Politicians) thought that the major enemies of the Nigerian Democracy are those geographical regions who voted for the opposition parties, or maybe, those regions who didn't vote massively for the winning party.
On a normal day, Nigerians would be hearing things like, “those regions that didn't deliver for our party do not deserve much from the government”. At some other times, we would hear terms like
“five-percenters”.
But in reality, those people who came out to vote for their choices are the ones who deserved to be rewarded massively. They are the ones who loved the country deeply in their hearts and minds, and they came out to perform their civic responsibilities to the country.
The true villains of democracy (who really deserved to be severely punished) are those who are not interested in participating in the election process, those people are the reasons for which the turnouts at the elections are always below 30%, those ingrates who sit back at their homes (or at their places of work) for whatever reasons, whether intentional or not.
They are the ones who failed in their responsibility to the country, and they deserved to be severely punished without mercy.

It is the civic responsibility of every citizen to participate in the elections. There are no options to that, and there shouldn't be any excuse for not participating in elections.

Meanwhile, it is the right of every citizen to belong to any Political Party they like, and it is also their right to vote for whoever candidate they choose, and nobody should punish any citizen for exercising their full rights. (It is also the right of a citizen to choose not to vote for any candidate by deliberately voiding his ballot or leaving it blank. In such a way, he still fulfilled his civic responsibilities to the country by participating in the election).

As citizens, it is very important that we should know our rights; but then, it is far more important that we should also know our responsibilities as citizens..
Let's always bear that in mind.
We should not know only our rights as citizens. We should also know our responsibilities as citizens too.

In Australia for instance, those people who do not participate in the elections are severely penalized, and as a result, they usually record up to 99% turnout at their elections. (They keep proper data of the citizens, and thus, the information of those that got accredited for voting are used in determining those who did not participate in the elections)
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Even if there are people who want to protest with their in-activities on the Election Day, or those who want to register their displeasure at the country during the elections by not voting for any candidate, they do not necessarily have to boycott the Election totally.
It is their civic responsibility to participate in the elections by getting accredited and collecting the ballot-papers, then they are free to drop the ballot-paper blank and let it count as a void vote.
That alone is protest enough.
By the time the voided votes are more than 50% of all the total votes cast, then the message would be clearly sent across to whoever that it was meant for, that the power to overthrow the bad ones is totally with the people.
Those voided votes can easily favour any unpopular candidate in the future if those popular bad candidates that were voted into power are not doing well.
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A WORD IS ENOUGH FOR THE WISE.

That's Just It.
The real problem in Nigeria is that the people always love to take sides in order to engage is useless superiority fights and competitions..
Always trying to find demarcation lines..
..
Now, even in Democracy, there are serious competitions and pointing of fingers.
Blame-Games going on non-stop.
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With all these negatives presently in our country, who would actually want to vote again?

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I have the right to boycott elections because I am not part of the bloody primaries that produced those candidates. Politics is now a clique thing. A secret group thing where they can decide to threaten one clergyman about his "interference in politics but allow another clergy man become VP . So I have a right to not vote.

If I must be forced to vote, then let them reserve an empty party where people dissatisfied with all candidates/parties can cast their vote towards.

Imo state that came out to vote, no be judge finish work

you are talking about votes when people are referring to progress of their various nations, shame small na.

[b]Meanwhile, it is the right of every citizen to belong to any Political Party they like, and it is also their right to vote for whoever candidate they choose, and nobody should punish any citizen for exercising their full rights. (It is also the right of a citizen to choose not to vote for any candidate by deliberately voiding his ballot or leaving it blank. In such a way, he still fulfilled his civic responsibilities to the country by participating in the election).

As citizens, it is very important that we should know our rightqs; but then, it is far more important that we should also know our responsibilities as citizens..
Let's always bear that in mind.
We should not know only our rights as citizens. We should also know our responsibilities as citizens too.

In Australia for instance, those people who do not participate in the elections are severely penalized, and as a result, they usually record up to 99% turnout at their elections. (They keep proper data of the citizens, and thus, the information of those that got accredited for voting are used in determining those who did not participate in the elections)[/b][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][/font]



i leave in ajegunle apapa lagos during election you will see boys going about with cutlass and guns telling people that if you will not vote for a certain political party dont bother come out or you will be maimed.
lot of people who defied where injured some where killed and that was how bario rita lost the election

helinues:

tobechi74:
Imo state that came out to vote, no be judge finish work

The things you mentioned were very possible because The BOYCOTTERS gave room for desperate Political Thugs to easily manipulate the natural outcome at the Polling-units.
Their absence created loopholes which the vultures fed on..
They still came out to blame the vultures who naturally were out to feed on the loopholes.
..
Who do we really blame?
The farmer who kept his goat and yam together, or the goat who saw free yam and started eating it?

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Elvictor:
you are talking about votes when people are referring to progress of their various nations, shame small na.

Now, the bigger shame is on you.
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Check the same countries you are comparing Nigeria with.
Just Check All Of Them.
Their citizens are all so passionate about their elections.
They eagerly look forward to make their statements clear with their votes..
Their turnouts at Elections are very massive.
And That's Patriotism.!!
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Now, in Nigeria simple response to the national call for the good of the people, you (unpatriotic souls) are busy comparing us with people who are True Patriots in their climes.

CodeTemplar:
I have the right to boycott elections because I am not part of the bloody primaries that produced those candidates. Politics is now a clique thing. A secret group thing where they can decide to threaten on clergyman about his "interference in politics but allow another clergy man become VP . So I have a right to not vote.

If I must be forced to vote, then let them reserve an empty party where people dissatisfied with all candidates/parties can cast their vote towards.

Elections all over the world is a matter of choosing the lesser evil.
If politicians start losing elections after 1 term,they will sit up and stop misbehaving.
So,always go out and vote the lesser evil

Gbam! The stupid ones from the SE, led by the manic Kanu that disenfranchised themselves need to be penalized for the state of the nation. I watched with dismay, videos of these dolts proudly gathered to cook and eat pepper soup while other regions exercised their rights for them. How do you now expect to have a say when all that can be said via your votes have already been said by others for you on Election Day? Ignorance is really a disease!!

BluntNigerian:
Now, the bigger shame is on you.
..
Check the same countries you are comparing Nigeria with.
Just Check All Of Them.
Their citizens are all so passionate about their elections.
They eagerly look forward to make their statements clear with their votes..
Their turnouts at Elections are very massive.
And That's Patriotism.!!
..
Now, in Nigeria simple response to the national call for the good of the people, you (unpatriotic souls) are busy comparing us with people who are True Patriots in their climes.

can you tell me the provision of patriot that the electoral body has provided?
why won't they be passionate towards their election when the electoral body is credible and the procedures transparent, can we also talk of our paper elections the same way?

Redoil:




i leave in ajegunle apapa lagos during election you will see boys going about with cutlass and guns telling people that if you will not vote for a certain political party dont bother come out or you will be maimed.
lot of people who defied where injured some where killed and that was how bario rita lost the election

This is reason enough for someone not to participate in the elections. But hopefully, the Nigerian Police had risen up to their tasks. Future Elections would definitely be violence-free, and thus, such boys with cutlasses and guns wouldn't come near again.
Meanwhile, how did those boys know where someone would want to vote, (or even where someone voted, since it is a secret ballot system?)??

CodeTemplar:
I have the right to boycott elections because I am not part of the bloody primaries that produced those candidates. Politics is now a clique thing. A secret group thing where they can decide to threaten on clergyman about his "interference in politics but allow another clergy man become VP . So I have a right to not vote.

If I must be forced to vote, then let them reserve an empty party where people dissatisfied with all candidates/parties can cast their vote towards.

@(1st Bolded Statement)
In Politics, there are two categories of Citizens - The Politicians and The Electorates/Voters.
So, if you are not a politician, you are not supposed to be a part of the primaries, and it is not supposed to be of any concern to you.
So, how would you boycott the Election process which concerns you, just because of a political process that is totally none of your business??

@(2nd Bolded Statement)
If the candidates that were produced by the primaries of the various parties are not what you want, then you are very free to void your vote. Was that not what I was trying to say in the original post? Or didn't you read it? Or you are waiting for INEC to create a special space for void for you?

BluntNigerian:
@(1st Bolded Statement)
In Politics, there are two categories of Citizens - The Politicians and The Electorates/Voters.
So, if you are not a politician, you are not supposed to be a part of the primaries, and it is not supposed to be of any concern to you.
So, how would you boycott the Election process which concerns you, just because of a political process that is totally none of your business??

@(2nd Bolded Statement)
If the candidates that were produced by the primaries of the various parties are not what you want, then you are very free to void your vote. Was that not what I was trying to say in the original post? Or didn't you read it? Or you are waiting for INEC to create a special space for void for you?

Who is a politician?

CodeTemplar:
Who is a politician?

A Politician is a person who is professionally involved in politics.
...
So, are you a politician??
Your reply would at least let me know the category where you belong..
..
It will also help me decode the reason why you have so much interest in the primaries.

Elvictor:

can you tell me the provision of patriot that the electoral body has provided?
why won't they be passionate towards their election when the electoral body is credible and the procedures transparent, can we also talk of our paper elections the same way?

From the way you talk, even if INEC had succeeded in making elections free, fair, credible, transparent, and delicious; you will still find another lame excuse and boycott the elections..
..
(Maybe, you would come up with the usual lame excuse of: “what had Nigeria done for me as a citizen..?”)

Lalasticlala,
Seun

olisaEze:
Gbam! The stupid ones from the SE, led by the manic Kanu that disenfranchised themselves need to be penalized for the state of the nation. I watched with dismay, videos of these dolts proudly gathered to cook and eat pepper soup while other regions exercised their rights for them. How do you now expect to have a say when all that can be said via your votes have already been said by others for you on Election Day? Ignorance is really a disease!!

Bro, take it easy on the SE region.
It's not only them that boycott elections.
In the recent Edo State Governorship Election,, the turnout of the Eligible Voters was just 25.22%.
That means, 74.78% of the Eligible voters in Edo State boycotted the election.
Therefore, only 14.11% of all the Eligible voters in Edo State are the ones who Voted Obaseki, and they are the ones who made the choice for all the people of Edo State.
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Same thing will still happen in Ondo State on Saturday..
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So, leave SE out of this.
It is something that affects the whole of the SOUTHERN Part Of NIGERIA.

Explorers

BluntNigerian:
A Politician is a person who is professionally involved in politics.
...
So, are you a politician??
Your reply would at least let me know the category where you belong..
..
It will also help me decode the reason why you have so much interest in the primaries.

Professional in what sense? By certification or by popular opinion?

CodeTemplar:



Professional in what sense? By certification or by popular opinion?

Is there any other thing you're expecting me to tell you??
Someone that got himself into Politics, and is deeply interested (directly or indirectly) in going for an elective political post is definitely a politician..
(Directly, in the sense that he is an aspirant...
And Indirectly, in the sense that he is supporting an aspirant, or deeply involved in campaigning for him...
In Nigeria, any card-carrying/registered member of any Political Party is automatically regarded as a politician).
..
So, which of these categories are you??