#NigeriaDecides: Sultan advises Nigeria on what to do on Saturday

As Nigerian electorate go to the polls on Saturday to elect who becomes the President of the country for the next four years, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged them to not only come out and vote, but also ensure they protect their votes.

He stated this in Abuja on Thursday during the 2019 Murtala Muhammed Memorial Lecture, organised by Murtala Muhammed Foundation.

At the event themed ‘Towards credible, peaceful and participatory election – Moving Nigeria’s democracy forward,’ Abubakar said, “Why so much concern about the presidential election in Nigeria especially by foreign partners? We need to ask ourselves. But the simple issue is that‎ Nigeria’s 200 million population is such a big concern to everybody.

“The reason is that the survivability of Nigeria is so important to the world that everybody must come together to see credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria where whoever emerges will be accepted by all and must be accepted by all.”

Accusing those at the top of feeling that they were at the top and so control everything, he said the feeling is wrong because the people and not they are in control everything.

“That is why I want to call on Nigerians to go out  exercise  your rights, vote for the candidate you feel is best for you and ensure you protect your vote,” he added.

The Emir of Kano‎, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was also at the event said in his speech that political parties and the system should begin to put trust in young Nigerians, not only because they are in majority but on the ground that the history of Nigeria has proved the nation achieved more with young people in charge.

“The political parties and the system need to begin to put trust in young people, not just because they are the majority as people say but because when you go to the history of our country, you find it that all the great things‎ were done by young people. You think of Tafawa Balewa, Ahamadu Bello, Yakubu Gowon, Muritala Muhammed‎, Olusegun Obasanjo in his first term as military Head of State.

“I certainly think Obasanjo in his first term when he was in his 30s was a better Head of State than his second term when he was in his 70s. So, it is important I think, giving the history of our country to recommend that young people have shown that they are capable, that they have vision, that they have the energy, that they have the belief in the country and we need to consciously promote them and hopefully ‎next elections 2023 we will begin to see much more younger people.

“I hope those who are older will be there to guide them, counsel them, the way ‎ Maitama‎ Sule was counseling Gen. Muritala Muhammed. But it is extremely important that older generation, while they are alive to hand over this country over to the next generation, watch them and decide them so that when they are gone they are happy,” he said.

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The Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode, who spoke earlier, had noted that this year’s edition was rather auspicious coming just few days to the elections.

She said though progress has been made in the country’s electoral progress, that a lot still needed to be done to better democratic progress and entrench good governance.

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