From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, an aspirant for the Awgu, Aninri, and Oji River Federal Constituency of Enugu State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Oleka Udenze, has admonished Nigerians to get involved in active politics.
Udenze said mass participation in politics will make it difficult for politicians to manipulate the electoral process.
Udenze, a businessman, spoke in Abuja, while declaring his intention for the parliamentary election.
He expressed regret that politicians have taken advantage of low political participation and engagement by the citizens to manipulate the electioneering process to their advantage.
Udenze maintained that the more political participation and engagement in the country, the more difficult it is to manipulate the electoral process or buy votes.
“We must take it upon ourselves to determine the kind of Leadership we desire at all levels in this country. From the plPresident, Governors, Members of the National Assembly, Members of the States Houses of Assembly, Local Council Chairmen to Councilors. That is the way forward, else things will not change.
“If we take charge and own the electoral process, dutifully wielding our power to hire and fire, no leader will take us for granted, and consequently, we get to see youths being Governors, Ministers, and Presiding Officers of the parliament and holding sensitive positions in government. This development ultimately heralds the dawn of a new era.
“We all must get involved, whether you are a plumber, lawyer, a hair dresser, a mechanic, an engineer, health worker, tricycle driver, bartender or banker. It doesn’t matter your vocation or station in life. I’m a lawyer and entrepreneur who’s involved in politics and look out for my nation and its people, who has compassion for the poor and suffers no fool gladly.
“This is a call for collective action! We all must bear in mind that each of us hold great influence over our family, friends, peers, colleagues and everyone we encounter in our daily lives.
“Let’s reinvent the wheel, shake off our slumber, dispose off our fears and take up the task of nation building for our collective posterity to usher in a new breed of leadership that will see to the transformation of this nation.
“We deserve a nation that puts to good use, our vast human and natural resources for the collective good of all citizens that repositions our economy to compete in the digital age and be free from the tight grip of petrodollars that addresses our infrastructure deficit.
“A country that rewards innovation, ingenuity and hard work, that plugs the continuous brain drain, where our health Centers and hospitals are adequately equipped and staffed, where our workers earn living wages, where unemployment is reduced to the barest minimum.
“A country where employment and the recruitment process is based on merit, where startups are encouraged by government and given access to credit line, where the young man from Imo state of Christian faith can take a Muslim bride in Borno state. A nation where getting a visa will not be so difficult, become a prayer point or a testimony,” Udenze said.
Udenze further called on the youths to rise and get involve in politics.
“If you look at the numbers, they work in our favour both at the party level and in the general elections.
“Youths constitute the highest bloc of party delegates in any political party in Nigeria today, as well as the greatest number of registered voters. We are also the most educated electorate in the history of our nation and as a result, the onus is on us to do better than those that came before us.”