BY NONYE JULIET EKWENUGO
Kaduna
Justice Development and Peace Caritas (JDPC) has sensitized voters in Kaduna State on the need to vote on election day.
The Kaduna Coordinator, JDPC, Rev Fr Joshua Achir during the sensitisation exercise on Friday said that the essence of sensitisation was to avoid voter apathy during the elections.
“Looking at the insecurity bedeviling the country, the fuel scarcity, Naira scarcity, all of these are indicators showing there may likely be voter apathy, with this we became concern about the development”.
According to Fr Achir, despite all the challenges facing the country, eligible voters should go out and exercise their franchise.
“Citizens of voting age have the same constitutional rights and duties as everyone else to participate actively in public life, by voting, they participate in the democratic process, which is in the interest of advancing the common good. They vote for leaders to represent them and their ideas and leaders who will support their interests”.
“We would have no right to complain about the issues that concern the common good if we don’t vote. We lose the right to complain about public parks, access roads, electricity, clean water, clean air, public safety and security architecture, justice and judicial systems, harmonious relationships, sustainable environment, rich biodiversity, and so on if we don’t participate”.
He said “any candidate whose body language, antecedents or utterances has no respect for the dignity of human lives, has no interest in the common good, should not even cross the mind of any voter.
“Any candidate who has no consideration for freedom of religion, who does not support the principles of solidarity and subsidiary, who does not bother about the poor and vulnerable of society should not be voted for. A candidate who will not guarantee security of lives and property is not worth of vote.
“Candidate who has no interest in the education and health care of the people won’t have my vote. A candidate who will not ensure an enabling environment for business to thrive should not even come forward”.
He urged Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that 2023 polls is free, fair, credible and verifiable.
