From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Minority leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu,  has called for greater awareness and participation of Nigerians in the electoral and governance processes.
Elumelu said this is imperative so as to
elect the right leaders,  as well as hold office holders and political parties more accountable for their actions.
The lawmaker also advocated for faster democratic procedures for the removal of public office holders,  who manifest incompetence or abuses in the delivery of the mandate vested on their offices.
Elumelu, who spoke while delivering a public lecture at the 5th Biennial Convention of the class of 84 of his alma mater St. Pius Grammar School, Onicha Ugbo, in Delta state at the weekend, said
Nigerians are being short-changed by incompetent, corrupt, selfish leadership in various sectors of our national life.
The minority leader, who spoke on  “The Role of Enhance Electoral Awareness in Improving the Quality of Leadership In Nigeria”, E stressed that  quality of leadership can only be achieved if the electorate is adequately enlightened and mobilized “to make informed choices relating to the electoral worthiness of candidates at elections”.
According to him, “such awareness must also include practical ways of influencing government’s decision-making processes and holding leaders accountable along the lines of set rules”.
He lamented Nigerians have not been adequately enlightened for the desired political participation that can engender quality leadership.
The lawmaker noted that the poor political enlightenment is responsible for  voter apathy, voter suppression as well as political alienation which have in turn prevented the people from choosing the right leaders and holding elected them accountable for their actions.
Elumelu recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari was reelected in 2019 with 15.2 million votes representing about 18% of the 84 million registers voters; 13.2% of the estimated 115 million voting age population and about 7.6% of the total population of the country by 2019.