…Says citizens’ involvement will make manipulations difficult

By Chris Ochayi

An aspirant jostling to represent the Awgu, Aninri, and Oji River Federal Constituency of Enugu State in the 2023 general elections under the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Barrister Oleka Udenze, has enjoined Nigerians to get involved in active politics, arguing that their participation in the game will prevent politicians from manipulating the electoral process.

Barrister Udenze, who is also a businessman, who spoke in Abuja, while declaring his intention for the parliamentary election, lamented that politicians have taken advantage of low political participation and engagement by the citizens to manipulate the electioneering process to their advantage.

He submitted that, the more political participation and engagement we have, the more difficult it is to manipulate the electoral process or buy votes.

According to him, “We must take it upon ourselves to determine the kind of Leadership we desire at all levels in this country. From the President, governors, members of the National Assembly, members of the States Houses of Assembly, Local Council Chairmen to Councilors. That is the way forward, else things will not change.

“If we take charge and own the electoral process, dutifully wielding our power to hire and fire, no Leader will take us for granted, and consequently, we get to see youths being Governors, Ministers, and Presiding Officers of the parliament and holding sensitive positions in government. This development ultimately heralds the dawn of a new era.

“We all must get involved, whether you are a plumber, lawyer, a hair dresser, a mechanic, an engineer, health worker, tricycle driver, bartender or banker…it doesn’t matter your vocation or station in life, I’m a lawyer and entrepreneur who’s involved in politics and looks out for my nation and its people, who has compassion for the poor and suffers no fool gladly.

“This is a call for collective action! We all must bear in mind that each of us hold great influence over our family, friends, peers, colleagues and everyone we encounter in our daily lives.

“Let’s reinvent the wheel, shake off our slumber, dispose off our fears and take up the task of Nation building for our collective posterity to usher in a new breed of leadership that will see to the transformation of this nation.

“We deserve a nation that puts to good use our vast human and natural resources for the collective good of all citizens that repositions our economy to compete in the digital age and be free from the tight grip of petrodollars that addresses our infrastructure deficit.

“A country that rewards innovation, ingenuity and hard work, that plugs the continuous brain drain, where our health Centers and hospitals are adequately equipped and staffed, where our workers earn living wages, where unemployment is reduced to the barest minimum.

“A country where employment and the recruitment process is based on merit, where startups are encouraged by government and given access to credit line, where the young man from Imo state of Christian faith can take a Muslim bride in Borno state. A nation where getting a visa will not be so difficult, become a prayer point or a testimony.”

Barrister Udenze, who particularly called on the youths to rise and get involve in politics , said, “If you look at the numbers, they work in our favor both at the party level and in the general elections.

“Youths constitute the highest bloc of party delegates in any political party in Nigeria today as well as the greatest number of registered voters. We are also the most educated electorate in the history of our nation and as a result, the onus is on us to do better than those that came before us.”

He lamented that “Our Leaders have refused to evolve, we do not despise old age as we pray to live to see our old age, however, our Leaders have vehemently refused to unlearn the old ways and learn what works in this day.

“What they call experience is what I term “terrible experience”. Sadly, the “youths” whom they groomed wasted no time in taking after them. In most states, youths in their late 20s and 30s are relegated to Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants, Executive Assistants, Technical Assistants, and all manner of Assistants.

“This makes them think they are playing vital roles while In the 1960s, we had Gowon as Head of State at 32years, Cabinet Ministers who were in their early 30s yet the politically exposed youths of today are being distracted and satisfied with the crumbs from the king’s table.

Barrister Udenze is an Entrepreneur who presides over four thriving businesses, with direct employment 42 staffers and 195 in indirect employment.