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Don’t Give Away Your Votes – Agbakoba Warns Nigerians Against Another Costly Electoral Mistake
Don’t Give Away Your Votes – Agbakoba Warns Nigerians Against Another Costly Electoral Mistake
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Agbakoba urges Nigerians to reclaim the power of their votes ahead of 2027, warning that citizens must not treat their ballots as disposable or surrender them without carefully considering the consequences of the leaders they elect.
The SAN links electoral choices to the hardships Nigerians experience daily, pointing to rising food costs, inadequate healthcare, a struggling education system and limited employment opportunities as issues that require serious attention from whoever emerges as the country’s next president.
He questions whether Nigerians truly exercise their numerical strength in determining political leadership, noting that while the country has about 220 million people and only a relatively small number of politicians, voters can still lose their influence when they fail to make informed choices at elections.
Channel
Agbakoba calls for presidential candidates to be judged on leadership qualities and capacity rather than identity or sentiment, urging voters to look beyond where candidates come from or what they look like and focus instead on their ability to lead with discipline, inspire change and make a meaningful difference.
October 7, () – Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, has urged Nigerians to take the 2027 presidential election seriously, warning voters against surrendering the power of their votes and later bearing the consequences of poor political choices.
In a statement on Wednesday, Agbakoba said Nigerians must carefully scrutinise candidates seeking their votes and choose leaders based on their ability to address the country’s pressing challenges rather than on sentiments surrounding their background or appearance.
He said Nigeria’s persistent problems, including rising food prices, inadequate healthcare, a struggling education system and insufficient job opportunities, particularly for the country’s growing youth population, underscored the importance of making informed decisions at the ballot box.
“With Politics as corrupt as ever, it feels pointless to think our votes cannot make a difference”, Agbakoba stated.
He noted that although Nigeria has about 220 million people and only about 10,000 politicians, the larger population possesses the numerical strength to determine who occupies political offices through elections.
The senior lawyer, however, questioned whether Nigerians truly exercise that power or inadvertently surrender it through the choices they make during elections.
According to him, voters sometimes give away their votes without recognising their value and subsequently find themselves complaining about decisions taken by politicians whose elections they helped facilitate.
“Too often, we may find ourselves unintentionally giving away our votes without recognising their true value. Once we do, politicians can make decisions that do not align with our needs or interests. It is frustrating when those decisions negatively impact our lives, yet we forget that we had the opportunity to make smarter choices from the start”, he said.
Candidates Should Be Judged By What They Can Deliver
Agbakoba urged Nigerians to pay particular attention to the presidential contest, saying the identity, geographical origin or physical appearance of candidates should not be the primary basis for deciding whom to support.
He said voters should instead examine what each candidate has to offer and whether the person has demonstrated the qualities required to provide effective leadership.
“It doesn’t matter where candidates come from or what they look like; what matters is their ability to lead with discipline, inspire change, and make a meaningful impact,” he said.
The former NBA President’s intervention adds to his series of calls for Nigerians and political actors to make the 2027 election more focused on policy and institutional reform.
In February, Agbakoba called on the National Assembly to amend the Electoral Act to provide clear statutory backing for mandatory electronic transmission of election results ahead of the 2027 elections. He argued that unresolved weaknesses in the electoral framework could continue to fuel disputes and prolonged litigation.
He has also argued that political campaigns should be centred on concrete policies rather than vote-buying, thuggery and post-election litigation. In an earlier interview, he said Nigerians needed to hear clear and measurable proposals from politicians seeking their votes.
Warning Over Consequences Of Electoral Choices
Agbakoba’s latest message places responsibility on voters to recognise the connection between electoral choices and governance outcomes.
He said the difficulties confronting Nigerians should serve as a reminder that political decisions made during elections can affect citizens’ everyday lives, from the cost of food and access to healthcare to education and employment opportunities.
He urged citizens to resist the temptation to treat their votes as disposable or allow them to be determined by considerations unrelated to the ability of candidates to govern.
“We have the power to create change, and it begins with making informed choices at the ballot box”, he said.
His warning comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election, with aspirants and political parties beginning to position themselves for the presidential and other contests.
Agbakoba had earlier described the 2027 election as a crucial opportunity for Nigeria to address some of its longstanding structural problems, arguing that failure to achieve meaningful reforms could have serious consequences for the country’s stability.
Background
The 2027 presidential election will be held against the backdrop of significant economic, political and social concerns in Nigeria. The cost of living, employment, public services, insecurity and the credibility of the electoral process are expected to remain important issues as political campaigns gather momentum.
Agbakoba has consistently argued that Nigeria’s problems go beyond individual government policies and are linked to deeper structural and institutional weaknesses. He has advocated reforms including greater devolution of powers, electoral reforms and stronger political accountability.
More recently, he has also challenged presidential candidates to clearly state their plans for the Niger Delta, particularly on environmental pollution, restoration and development, arguing that the region should feature prominently in the 2027 presidential agenda.
Against this backdrop, his latest appeal is for voters to approach the 2027 election as an opportunity to assess candidates on their stated programmes, leadership records and capacity to address the country’s challenges.
For Agbakoba, the central message is that the power to determine Nigeria’s political direction does not rest solely with politicians. It also rests with citizens who cast the votes that put those politicians in office.