By Correspondent in Minna.
As 2023 general elections gather momentum in the country, Professor Dickson Achimugu Musa, has tasked all eligible voters to get their Permanent Voter’s Cards(PVCs) and be ready to vote in 2023 general elections.
Musa,a Professor of Pharmacological Biochemistry and Biotechnology and the Director, Trans-Saharan Disease Research Centre, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai in Niger state, gave the task at the maiden edition of a political awareness programme tagged, during weekend in Minna.
Our Correspondent reports the event was tagged, ‘Political Round Table Discussion’ with the theme: “Nigeria and the issues of Now: 2023 elections in View”, organised by the House on the Rock Church, Minna.
According to the academic, voting in the coming general elections becomes imperative, because Nigeria cannot attain the desired socio-economic and political greatness, comparable to its contemporaries world over, if government and governance continue to rest on the shoulders of people who had no interest of citizens at heart.
According to the professor,Nigeria had all that is needed to become one of the super powers among third world countries but noted it remained stagnated since independence in 1960, a development he said is a source of concern to him and other elite Nigerians across the different segments of the society.
Musa also lamented that Nigeria has whatever it takes to be great but note that years of bad leadership had stunted the political and socio-economic growth and development of the country regarded as to most populous black nation in the world.
“The President Nigeria needs in 2023 is someone who has the knowledge of Nigeria’s numerous socio-economic and political challenges and is willingly ready to fix them within shortest time possible for the country to come back alive,” he said.
The Professor, who faulted the attitudes of some Christians for erroneously believing that politics and political contests are ‘dirty’, encouraged them to join politics and be part of efforts at bringing sanity to the political system, come 2023 general elections.
Also speaking, Pastor PeteRock Sadiq said the political round table to raise the consciousness of women and youths in Niger state, Christians in particular, on the need to be part of political processes that would usher in a new government, come 2023.
Pastor Sadiq said there were plans to ensure that the political Roundtable comes up monthly until eligible voters in Niger state were sufficiently enlightened, on the importance of joining hands to build “Nigeria of our collective dreams by voting for candidates to meet the needs and aspirations of Nigerians next year”.
The Pastor, who expressed optimism that ‘Nigeria will be great again’, told guests at the Political Roundtable which took place at the church auditorium, Minna to take home what they learnt and encourage their wards and relatives to actively participate in politics.
He said this was necessary in order to vote out people who had nothing good to offer except to actualise their personal gains.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
