ANOTHER election circle is fast approaching, such that sooner than later, redemptive messages, slogans and cosmetic advertorials will inundate the public space with clichés advertising the candidates as possessing the wisdom of Solomon, strength of Samson, abilities of Moses and prophetic mastery of Elijah to bequest development that have eluded the citizenry and impoverished them.
As the messages to convince constituents about their suitability of candidates rent the air, accompanied with trojan gifts of rice, wrappers, freebies and fleeting materials of non-sustainable value.
Instead of handouts and freebies at every election circle, citizens should demand accountability and insist on institutionalised social policies, like State-funded health insurance, free, functional and accessible education; they should demand for a revolving agricultural loan schemes and social subsidies for indigent constituents rather than episodic handouts.
Stomach infrastructure is a dangerous position to clamour for as it trades long term societal advancement for instant gratification, exploiting poverty to secure votes.
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This transactional attitude strangulates sustainable development, shifting public resources away from critical programmes and infrastructure like, schools, health care and job creation, turning citizens into perpetual dependant clients instead of empowered rights holders.
Stomach infrastructure offers temporal and fleeting satisfaction against sustainable development that creates enduring and lasting legacies such as functional schools, robust health care networks, agriculture and stimulates local economies that affords citizens to conveniently live dignified lifes.
Funds spent on purchasing seasonal election gifts are funds meant for capital projects, wealth creation and the intentional advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, SDG’s.
Election gifts are masqueraded as acts of charity but far from it, they are calculated ventures for exploitation. Politicians leverage the populace vulnerability and economic hardship to maintain power without presenting a functional manifesto or track record of service.
To break free from underdevelopment, citizens must reject and denounce transactional politics and demand long-term governance that will improve the economy, healthcare and functional education as a carton of noodles cannot pay school fees and a bag of rice cannot fix the economy.
Instead of handouts and freebies at every election circle, citizens should demand accountability and insist on institutionalised social policies, like State-funded health insurance, free, functional and accessible education; they should demand for a revolving agricultural loan schemes and social subsidies for indigent constituents rather than episodic handouts.
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Trading votes for a day’s meal, mortgages the future of the unborn generation, deepens poverty engendering entitlement mentality on the part of the politicians as these gifts requires patronage of the citizens at the polls.
Vote buying violates tenets of the Nigerian Electoral Act and citizens should be encouraged to report violations to oversight organs of government like, independent national electoral commission, INEC, EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau.
These institutions have the responsibility to dissuade politicians from embarking on this unholy path but seek to abide by the social contract with the people.
To break free from underdevelopment, citizens must reject and denounce transactional politics and demand long-term governance that will improve the economy, healthcare and functional education as a carton of noodles cannot pay school fees and a bag of rice cannot fix the economy.
Tiav, a broadcast journalist, writes from Makurdi, Benue State.
