Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, has admonished Nigerians not to let their emotions get the better of them when choosing who to vote for in next year’s general election.
He issued the admonition on Tuesday at the sixth edition of the annual ‘BRF GABFEST’, which held in Lagos and had as its theme, ‘What Am I Voting For?’.
The minister made a reference to a recent comment by someone who had said “anger” will make many Nigerians vote in 2023.
He advised Nigerians to vote in the 2023 polls based on precedent and track record.
Although Fashola didn’t mention any name in particular, according to the minister, emotions should not be the motivator for making choices of quality leaders who will address the challenges of the country.
“We might wonder how to get candidates to address these issues. One way is to look at what their manifestos present and what their political parties profess. The other way is to attend rallies they organise, but I tell you this is often a one-way conversation because we cannot ask questions at those rallies,” he said.
“Debates and town hall meetings provide perhaps the best way to put their feet to fire and we as political employers of these public servants can organise these debates and town halls along our economic and social groupings.
“In doing so, we must be sensitive, because the candidates cannot attend all debates and town hall meetings. In some cases, we must be willing to accept their accredited spokesperson but this must be an exception and not the rule.
“After all they are the ones looking for our votes and we are the ones who seek to employ them.
“I urge you to vote by holding debates and town halls where you put questions to the candidates to test their abilities.
“I urge you to vote by looking at what the candidates have done before, this is like asking for the referees during an interview or talking to a previous employer. This is how to recruit an employee. Not by anger.”
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