The National Commissioner, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Dr. Adekunle Ogunmola, on Wednesday, said Nigerians should be more active in the nation’s electoral process as it affected them directly or indirectly.
Ogunmola told News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that such effective participation was critical to democratic development.
According to him, elections are vital in every democracy because the citizens have the franchise to elect leaders or representatives of their choice.
He also said that citizens were also empowered not to re-elect representatives who did not perform to expectation on assuming elective posts.
“’I want to advise that Nigerians should take the issue of electing people into office seriously because it will impact on them directly or indirectly.
“’When you have representatives that you have chosen via votes of the larger majority of Nigerians in the various constituencies, it means that such representatives have a responsibility of taking care of the people within their constituency.
“These elected officials represent them fully in the various offices they occupy, either at the national or state houses of assembly or whichever office.
“They have a responsibility to the constituents of their various constituencies by pushing forward their needs and yearnings.
“’So, I feel that Nigerians should be more alive and active in the issues of election,” he said.
The commissioner said that voting should be made a compulsory exercise or a criterion for one thing or the other as obtained in some other countries.
NAN
