Former Commissioner for Commerce and Cooperatives and a governorship aspirant under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Oyo state, Dr. Kola Balogun on Friday appealed to voters in the country to desist from exchanging their votes for material things like money in the forthcoming elections in 2019.
Balogun gave this advice while featuring on a live Television program on MITV Ibadan, “Morning Breeze” which was monitored by DAILY POST.
He said that selling of votes during elections for money and other material things like food was largely responsible for poor leadership the country is currently battling with, warning them not to repeat the same in 2019 if Nigeria must move forward.
Balogun said, “Don’t sell your votes, don’t let politicians buy your votes for N200, you can be hungry for one day to make sure that you elect credible leaders who will ensure provision of quality heath, infrastructure, food roads.
“Again, let us tell our people not to elect people based on money but based on character and their pedigree. We should elect people who have integrity for development to take place.
“It is not all about the political party, even the aspirants need to tell us what they intend to do.
Speaking on the recent invasion of the Senate by some suspected thugs loyal to Senator Ovie-Omo Agege, Balogun who said he was sad by the invasion declared that what happened was a reflection of the kind of leadership in the country.
He said, “I am saddened that such a thing happened in the Senate, for a Senator to lead thugs and steal the maze, is that what he was elected to do. I will still appeal to the electorate to vote for credible candidates. If you don’t get away with materials things, we will not have credible leaders. The only way to stop your hunger is to elect credible leaders. The N 200 or even N10,000 they give you cannot feed you and your family.
“Vote for the kind of leaders that will provide quality heath care, quality education, employment opportunities etc.
He said it is the responsibility of all and sundry including the media to continue to enlighten the electorate on what to do during the elections, noting that, “It is the responsibility of the media and the academic to sensitise the electorate not to seek their votes”.
Balogun speaking further appealed to youths not to be deterred but be determined to make it in life.
He said, “I will like to appeal to youths not to be deterred, this is the only thing we have, the advantage that we have is to elect good leaders. Don’t sit on the fence, my appeal is to get registered and vote.
“Politicians will come and campaign, what you need is to scrutinize them, you and I should ask questions, let them tell us what they have for us. Nigerian electorate must wake up. We have come a long way, we are still rising and crawling, we are evolving as a nation. The likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Tarawa Balewa and others started the foundation we are building upon. If there was no military interference, we wouldn’t have been where we are”, he added.
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