By Naijafaithful

Nigerians, please if you’re going to revolt, march to your nearest registration center and register to vote to participate in the upcoming elections.

Unlike Tunisia & Egypt who have unfortunately suffered a totalitarian type government with no apparent sign of reform presented to its people, Nigeria has no reason to think of a violent approach at this point. President Mubarak of Egypt has been in power 30yrs while President Ben Ali of Tunisia, 24 yrs. Nigeria today is at a brink of being given their first real opportunity that many of these Tunisians & Egyptians haven’t had in over 2 decades – to elect a leader of their choice. For many Nigerians, young and old, it will be their first time ever voting. These 2011 elections in Nigeria, many have deemed the ‘make or break’ of Africa’s most populous country.

The Nigerian government, although a failed one still filled with wayward politicians, has shown to be making some effort to reform present electoral processes so that the Nigerian people have a part in who governs their nation. Unlike the Tunisian & Egyptian governments, there isn’t a deafening silence to respond to the issues the youth raise anymore. We may very well claim to have a better majority of government who, comparatively and as of recent, we have witnessed, is starting to listen. Dare I say, somewhat of an openness to change. Still a work in progress, but the youth should begin now to get used to the idea of demanding to know who their leaders are and their policies and vote them back into power if they choose.

Indeed – there have been many flaws we are seeing already that have come with this democratic exercise. Among them are the DDC machine malfunctions, NYSC corpers’ inability to operate the machines, corpers’ protests, violence in some states and several attempted thefts of DDC machines at registration sites by riggers. In addition, the major obstacles that have come with our failed state: electricity, lack of education, insecurity, poor infrastructure.

We need to take a step back and realize that these are inevitable issues bound to plague a newly instilled process by an inept system that desperately needs change. This year’s electoral procession is by far the most micro-managed & highly scrutinized one we have seen ever in Nigerian history.  We have already heard stories of some good Samaritan Nigerians, who in the process of registering, saw the opportunity to help some of these corpers as well as provide solutions to expedite the long wait and excessive lines of citizens in their respective sites waiting to register. We need this to be the attitude that Nigerians participating in this year’s election inculcate.

Register, Select, Vote & Protect should be Nigeria’s response to the recent upheavals in Tunisia & Egypt.  Exercise your civic duty. If the Nigerian youth come out in droves, similar to the numbers that came out in Tunisia & Egypt, but this time to participate in the elections, we stand a better chance of protecting our votes and stunting attempts by the riggers who try to steal our votes. We can’t afford to sit, complain or even start to compare ourselves to other African countries. The fate of Nigeria’s future is in your hands. Revolt on making your vote count and tell your friends & family the same.

This is a post from our newest guest blogger Naijafaithful. Contact us here for the chance to have your blog post published on Vote or Quench.