2019: Stop criticising failed leaders, vote them out instead- Abdulsalami

Former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has advised Nigerians on what to do with bad leaders during the coming 2019 general elections.

He asked them not to sell their vote, to stop criticising failures of those in position of power, but to use their votes in 2019 to vote out leaders they know is not doing their jobs.

He stated this on Friday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, during the 2018 Distinguished Annual Lecture for Senior Executive Course 40 participants.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo was the Special Guest of Honour at the event.

The former military leader also condemned the rising cases of vote buying in the country.

“Every citizen has a duty. You must not sell your vote. You must register to vote.

“Stop criticising the failures of government, go and vote them out if you think those voted are not doing their job.

“We must all try to work on our nationhood through constitutional and policy framework. It is only in this way that we can ignite responsible leadership for the country.

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“It is through this approach that we can truly build national institutions that will enthrone justice and equity,” he said.

Describing the 91 parties registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission as an “unwholesome development,” he accused INEC of not helping Nigeria’s democracy with those registration.

He argued that too many of those political parties are still regional in character and lack ideological inclinations.

The former head of state therefore urged INEC to be transparent in its activities in order not to kill confidence of Nigerians in the commission.

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