Neglected youths as tools for electoral violence

The election fever has attained an all-time high as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls on Saturday to elect the next president and members of the National Assembly.

Like their counterparts seeking seats in the two legislative chambers, the two major gladiators in the presidential race; incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party and the candidate of the opposition All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), are leaving no stone unturned to woo the youth for votes.

It is however a sad commentary to note that the majority of the youth have yet to display cogent positions regarding the coming elections including those of the governorship and state assemblies scheduled for April 11. If anything, the social media platforms, which should have been used to profitably engage the candidates and stakeholders alike, have been inundated with abuses, banalities and inanities emerging from the supporters of the opposing camps.

One thing is certain, politicians have not been so interested in the youth in the last four years the way they now suddenly see them as the beautiful ‘brides’ that must be courteously courted and deserving of expensive gifts. But no one needs a seer to know that the ‘sweet-something’ being cooed into their ears would change when the elections are over and the winners assume offices. Such a scenario had played out many times and the forthcoming elections would not be an exception. This is Nigeria where politicians see the electorate as puppets that can be manipulated at will especially every four years when elections beckon.

Now is the time for the youth to ask candidates to authenticate the pragmatic approach conceived to tackle some of the challenges confronting the country raging from unemployment, erratic power supply, economic downturn to educational woes.

It is worrisome that the same youths that had been roundly traumatised, rejected and abused by the political class with its gross anti-people policies often found vigour to foment violence on Election Day. The youth can collectively demand better governance and make the leaders accountable.

This can be achieved by using their votes to enthrone competence and accountability rather than serve as agents of bloodshed and smear their tomorrow through dangerous weapons and illicit drugs while allowing selfish politicians use them for self-seeking interests.

In 2008, the United States presidential election witnessed a huge turnout of youth voters who massively engaged the candidates of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, Barack Obama and John McCain, respectively. They knew the challenges ahead and wanted realistic solutions from the ready-to-serve candidate who would confront the problems headlong. The social media platforms became theatre of visual approach to governance. While candidates explored the forums for marketing strategies and to canvass for votes, the youth used the platforms to make genuine demands before casting their votes for the seekers. Their voices were unanimous. At the end of the day, the majority of the youth ensured that their votes made an impact. It was all issues and no pretences. The outcome of the election is in the public domain for reference. The case in Singapore was not different.

But rather than seeing such a collective role manifesting at this crucial time in Nigeria, the reverse is the case. Pitiably, Nigerian youths have seemingly joined the bandwagon of those without hope about the Nigerian Dream. They have gradually believed the fallacy that election and violence are Siamese twin whereas both are strange bedfellows. It is only in Nigeria that the two are irritatingly intertwined as buddies.

Candidates of all the political parties contesting the presidency on Saturday have signed a Peace Pact. It is a pact that the youth must also hold as sacred and thus reject any attempt to be used as tools for violence before, during or after the election.

No man who truly loves another will encourage him or her to partake in crisis for whatever reason let alone preach it. Like a poison with the sole mission to destroy, violence seeks to empty the totality of its promoters.

Amid flagrant greed, scheming for votes, grandstanding of politicians and permutations, the youth stand to be counted. It is important for them to wholly desire to be agents of lofty agenda capable of launching the country to greatness. This they can do and make it happen for as the consummate English playwright and Bard of Avon, William Shakespeare, advises, “To thine own self, be true.”