From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
Capoon, Kaduna Chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (Pyrates Confraternity) and Regional Coordinator,  #OurVotesCount Initiative, Northwest Zone, Henry Nduka Onyia, at the weekend described the successful contestants in recently concluded election in 19 of 23 local government elections in Kaduna state as a reflection of the electorate’s choice.
Henry, who further described the election as a “victory for democracy”, commended the bold step by the Kaduna state government through Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KADSIECOM) to use electronic voting machines for the conduct of the election even as the body set to do the same in the remaining four local councils.
According to Henry, Kaduna State has been making national history as KADSIECOM again successfully organised local government elections using much-debated electronic voting machines in 19 out of 23 councils earlier in the month.
Henry was quick to add that, #OurVotesCount, a national mass education initiative by the National Association of Seadogs under her Citizen’s Summit programme, was purposed to increase informed awareness among the electorate.
According to him, “we commend Kaduna citizens for the success of the recently concluded local government election. Kaduna has always led in setting the pace for the country and it has just demonstrated once again that, electronic voting is possible as seen being used in the election.
“#OurVotesCount campaigns for citizens to equip themselves with the necessary
information and skills towards making elections count, advocates for true democracy where the elected leaders at all tiers of government, bound by the rule of law, are accountable to the electorate and impunity has no place.
“The feedback gathered so far, regarding the election strongly indicate minimal speculation or controversy about the validity of the declared results – from polling units up toward and local government levels – irrespective of individual voter preferences.
“The prevailing trend is that of a consensus that successful contestants were indeed, largely a reflection of the electorate’s choice.
“We can only summarise this as historically unprecedented and crystal-clear decisive victory for democracy as far as elections in Nigeria are concerned, especially in an era where references are still being made to the premium democratic value of the June 12, 1993, elections”, he said.
The association however lamented that the conduct of local government elections across Nigeria by State Independent Electoral Commissions has offered very little hope towards meeting this aspiration, “this, in our opinion, has been the most debilitating factor in the quest for good governance at the grassroots despite the push for local government autonomy.”
The association further decried voter apathy during local government when compare to presidential and gubernatorial elections, urging stakeholders to borrow a leaf from Kaduna State where a lot of creativity was deployed in dealing with the problem.
The association also noted that more than 50% of the population of Kaduna State is made up of youths and the apathy of this demographic can be understood saying, they were the ones contending with the consequences of the commissions and omissions in governance, hence the need to bring them aboard governance.
“It is these same youths who will be custodians of the future that is being decided today. They therefore must be brought on board to significantly own and begin to drive the process of devising creative solutions to voter apathy in a time and age that they understand better than the elders who are at the helm of affairs.
“We suggest, amongst others, that the esteemed Kashim Ibrahim Fellowship Programme, which is essentially youth-oriented, be tasked with critically examining this problem and or offering contemporary approaches to identifying solutions.
“Those active in the third sector especially those with a bias for social advocacy and grassroots development could be identified and mobilised as stakeholders in a joint enterprise in this regard in a manner akin to declaring a state of emergency”, Henry suggested.