10 Reasons why You Must Not Vote, by Ebuka Onyekwelu
The Nigerian Presidential and National Assembly election comes up this Saturdays, February 16, 2019. Many Nigerians will be voting for the first time in their lives. And I don’t mean people that just turned 18 years and just got their voters’ card. It is not entirely surprising, but there is growing political consciousness. People are beginning to get involved. But there are still some Nigerians who do not care about voting. Now here are the 10 reasons why you must not vote, though you have your voters’ card.
- You are a Nigerian but currently not at the location where you registered and at the moment, you have no plan to travel no matter how near, just to vote. Ha! No o! For what?! But do you deserve good governance? You want government to take responsibility? Anyway, you must not vote.
- You have your own business. You don’t care about the government or what they do. Well, wait till one misplaced government policy takes you back to square one. So you must not vote.
- Somehow, you are rich. Its only poor people that go to vote. You can lose your fortune over night, by one action of government in power. Your wealth may not replace the effect of bad roads, poor hospitals etc, when it gets to your door step. But you must not vote.
- You are a working class and always busy. Lagos traffic is killing you! You rarely have time for yourself. You don’t even sleep enough. Thank God for this election holiday. You will rest well, so you must not vote. Wait until bad governance continues and you are fired from your work place because they cannot pay you again. You will surely have enough time to sleep.
- Thank God for this Election Day o. You want to go see a friend. In fact, you will be leaving on Friday evening after work. But that means you won’t be able to vote. Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s just one vote. Nonetheless, that one vote is your vote. Your right and it matters.
- You believe they have already decided who will win so your vote does not matter. You are leaving a major decision that directly and indirectly affect you to chance and to others, to choose for you. I hope you will be happy and proud to live with such decision. Well, you must not vote!
- It’s a good time to catch up with friends in your street. Sit out, drink and play football. First of all, sleep till around 11 am, then get up and enjoy your day as planned. You cannot go and waste your time standing on the line to vote. Yes Sir! You must not vote. Voting lasts between 8 am and 2 pm! But that’s too much for you. Bad governance for the next four years, can force you into a situation where you cannot afford your friends, anymore.
- Our pastor said we have vigil on Friday. So let me go, when I come back, I will sleep, at least, I am not going anywhere on Saturday. You must not vote! But you can get ready for vigil for the next four years, praying to God to solve a problem you would have solved with your vote.
- There is a movie you bought/downloaded and have not had time to watch it. This Saturday is so perfect! You will spend your time as you wish and enjoy your movie. You must not vote because that movie will address important issues of bad governance affecting you.
- You are at the polling unit to vote but you must not vote until they give you money to vote. Yes o! You suffered to register and suffered again to collect the voters’ card. They have to pay you or you will not vote. You are indeed expensive to be paid N3, 000 for just a vote! Wow!! Anyway, N3, 000 divided by 48 months that makes up 4 years, equals N62.5. That is your real worth every month, till the end of four years.
You must not vote? Keep playing with your destiny. Yes. You must not vote.