Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Emir of Kano, His Eminence Aminu Ado Bayero has expressed optimism that things would get better in the country despite the present challenges.
Bayero, who was represented by Maaji Kano, Lamido Umar Yola, at an event organised by the civil society groups in Abuja, in preparation for the 2023 general elections, said Nigeria wants positive changes in the country as well as leaders who could stand for their people.
“So, I think we need to do so much from top to bottom because the population of Nigerians downwards, those are the decision makers. And the people can use their votes to come and vote and select good leaders,” Bayero said.
On its part, the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Gender Equality, Child Protection, Leadership and Good Governance (CCSLGG) said the nation must get it right in 2023, as far as elections were concerned.
The group which said its aim was all about how to get it right in Nigeria in terms of leadership of the country and governance, also said its aim was to ensure that the people’s voice was heard.
The National President of CCSLGG, Elizabeth Oziri, while speaking with journalists said: “We have had enough of just the normal ways. We want the people’s voice to be heard.
“The people should be able to decide who will lead them in 2023. The people should be able to take a decision on who their leaders should be.
“They should go out and google and search the history of these leaders. They should go and check them through and confirm the stuff they are made of.
“As far as we are concerned, we have to get it right this time. We are no longer ready to go for vote buying, vote selling and mediocre, people who just come in and help us destroy the nation the more.”
Oziri further said as the country moves closer to the elections, the civil society organisations would be playing major roles such as advocacy, enlightenment of the society about their right to vote and partnering with the government as far as monitoring and observing elections are concerned.
