Political analyst urges every citizen in Borno State to vote in the coming elections telling them it their fundamental right.

Citizens of Borno State are ready and eager to cast their votes for the councillors and chairmen who will represent them in each the state’s 27 local government areas – but those who will be casting their ballots have made it clear that they want the polls to be free and fair and, above all, transparent.

The elections will take place on Tuesday, January 23.

Sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for the chairman and councillors elections began on September 20 last year and ended on September 28. Campaigning for the elections began on November 28 and will end on January 18.
The first part of the election was to choose the nominees. Only two parties bought nomination and expression of interest forms, the ruling All Progressives Congress and its main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party. Their candidates have been chosen.

Now it is up to the public to vote for their chosen candidates. Only one of two candidates for each position, either chairman or councillors, will emerge victorious.

These elections are separate from those held for the presidential, senatorial and governorship polls which were held on February 25 and March 11 last year.
The other states in Nigeria will also hold elections for their chairmen and councillors in the coming months.

This month’s local government elections in Borno State are only the second to be held in 13 years – local government elections were not held during the peak of the insurgency or during the following years of severe conflict. They resumed in 2021, once there was relative peace in Borno State. The elections in January will be the second since most parts of the state are somewhat peaceful, although recently there has been an increase in insurgency and criminal attacks, particularly on farmers.

RNI spoke to residents in Dikwa who said they had immense hope for these elections. They said they were excited and were well prepared to cast their votes.

Fanne Modu said: “I am ready to go and cast my vote and I am pretty sure the elected candidate will solve our problems. We want to vote for the candidates who will help to ensure farmers have more security so that they are not attacked every time they go to their lands. We want our farmers to feel safe so that they can produce enough food, not only for Borno State but also for the whole of Nigeria. May success be with us.”

A woman, who identified herself only as Aisha, said: “I am fully prepared to go and cast my vote. I hope this time around we will not be abandoned after the election. We want leaders who are ready and willing to support us and put our interests first.”

An elderly man, who gave his name as Abor, said: “I am well aware of the coming elections, but I do not have much interest in them. I will think about it but at this time I do not intend to bother go to vote.

“I would have more interest if the process was transparent. But there are so many things that are not clear about the elections. During the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms for the chairmanship and councillorship elections, one political party stopped selling forms because its members claimed that the forms were sold to a few selected people and denied to others even though they were legitimate party members.

“It is this kind of behaviour that makes me believe the elections will not be free and fair and certainly not transparent. Already there are irregularities and inconsistencies. That makes me not want to take part in the elections.”

A man, who said his name was Mustapha, told RNI: “I don’t think I’m going to participate in the coming elections because I’m not convinced by the electoral process. I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, but for now I’m not interested.”

Hajiya Hadiza Jarma, a member of the All Progressives Congress in Damboa, said: “The primary elections were successfully conducted. Now the people will choose who will emerge victorious.

“I have no doubts that the coming elections will be conducted hitch-free and that the exercise will run smoothly and peacefully.

“We have made all the relevant arrangements. Whoever is chosen we will not hesitate to give them support.”
Hajiya Fatima Alhaji, a member under the People’s Democratic Party in Damboa agreed, saying that in her party there was equality between men and women.
“They know that whatever job or task a man is given, a woman is as capable as any man of doing it successfully. May we witness the election in good health.”
Bappah Haruna Bajoga, a public affairs analyst, said: “I am calling on the entire Borno State populace to please go out to cast their votes in the coming local government elections.

“Many people accuse our leaders of not doing their duties properly and of bad governance. But the fault often lies with the people. If we all exercised our right to vote, the better-equipped people might be voted into office.
“Casting our votes is a fundamental right. I realise not everyone is always happy with the person who comes into office. Many of our leaders in the past have let us down.

“We know there are people who will not bother to vote. But I say to them: ‘The only way to find a solution is to change the status quo. And the only way you can do that is to exercise your right to vote. It is your duty as a citizen to cast your ballot.’”

AYSHA MUSTAPHA KOLOMI