An election is a process in which people
or the public choose a person or group of persons to hold an official position
through voting. In the same vein; a free, fair and credible election, in a
concise term, could be described as an election in which no one is
disenfranchised and no iota of injustice is being employed.
On the other hand; a social justice is a situation in which individuals
or citizens of a certain society are allowed to fulfill their societal/civil
roles or obligations as well as receive what is due for them. Social justice,
which is a justice in terms of the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and
privileges within a society, assigns rights and duties in the institutions of a
given society which enables people to receive the basic benefits and burdens of
cooperation.
Considering the significance of social justice, no doubt, it is only by
the acknowledgement of its existence, that, a free, fair and credible election
would be guaranteed in any country or organization. This is why thorough
practice of social justice is required by any nation that claims to possess a
good number of true democrats.
It was Abraham Lincoln who said in 19th May 1856, that, “The
ballot is stronger than the bullet.” Furthermore, in his first inaugural
address as the President of the United States of America (U.S.A) in March 4,
1861, he said, “This country with its institutions belongs to the people who
inhabit it. Whenever they grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise
their constitutional right of amending it, or their revolutionary right to
dismember it or overthrow it.”
To this end, it is high time the aspirants in the forthcoming elections
in Nigeria started playing politics of vision to be accompanied with mission
with the view that the people or the electorates are the major determinant in
any election; rather than the usual or the ongoing alleged believe that the
polls do not require the participation of the electorates for an election to
take place.
On their part, the electorates ought to understand that the future of this country lies in their bare hands by ensuring that they concentrate on the real visions of the respective aspirants instead of laying emphasis on his/her ethnic, political, or religious affiliation.
It was John Quincy Adams who said, “Always vote for principle; though
you may vote alone, but you shall live to cherish the sweetest reflection that your
vote is never lost.” Also in his speech, Woody Allen stated, “We stand today at
a crossroad: one path leads to despair and utter hopelessness while the other
leads to total extinction. Let us hope we have the wisdom to make the right
choice.”
In this regard, most
importantly, the Independent National Electoral commission (INEC), which stands
as the sole umpire for the said elections, should in their corporate capacity
not attempt to compromise the confidence majority of Nigerians have in them. Similarly,
by comprehending the fact that many Nigerians have become sceptical over the
effectiveness of elections in Nigeria due to the porosity of the ones conducted
in the past, it is therefore the responsibility of the INEC to prove to the
doubtful electorates beyond any reasonable doubt that, the fast approaching
elections would be the first as well as the best of its kind in the history of
the country, in order to eliminate the enormous apathy witnessed among them.
Today Friday February 20, the world over is commemorating the World Day
of Social Justice. The World Summit for Social Development was held in
Copenhagen, Denmark in 1995 and resulted in the Copenhagen Declaration and
Programme of Action regarding Social Justice. Nearly ten years later, precisely
in February 2005, the United Nations’ Member States reviewed the Declaration
when they gathered at a session of the Commission for Social Development in New
York, U.S.A.
Subsequently, on 26th
November 2007, the UN General Assembly named February 20 as the annual World
Day of Social Justice; the Day was scheduled to be first observed in the year
2009. On that day, the General Assembly urged the leaders of the various Member
States to allow their citizens to exercise their civic responsibilities as well
as grant them their respective entitlements irrespective of background, status,
or age.
As the world marks the World
Day of Social Justice, there is need for all concerned and patriotic organizations
as well as stakeholders such as the civil society, religious bodies, and the
media at all levels, to strengthen the ongoing awareness on the need to
exercise a free, fair and credible election in the country come March 28 and
April 11, 2015 respectively. As regards this, we are expected to continually
preach the gospel of “One man, one vote”, and the need for every Nigerian to
participate actively at the polls.
We shouldn’t forget that, for us to actualize the future we dream of, all hands must surely be on deck; else, we would end up actualizing a goal we never wished to behold. Think about it!
FDN NWAOZOR
(The Media Ambassador)_____________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
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