A former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission for South-West, Lai Olurode has said many Nigerians who are battling hunger and other forms of hardship in the country do not deserve to complain.
Olurode explained that this category of Nigerians lost their rights of protest the moment they refused to participate very actively and vote during elections.
He also stated that many citizens within the voting age, especially the elites, are in the habit of boycotting the democratic process of deciding who will lead them during electioneering process, saying that their lacklustre and unconcerned attitude towards elections are part of reasons why democracy is not bearing the desired results in the country.
The former boss of the nation’s electoral body made this known on Tuesday while delivering a lecture titled: 25 Years of Nigeria’s Democracy: The gains, the pains and their harmonization.”
The lecture was organised by the Forum of Retired Directors-General, General Managers, Executive Secretaries, Programme Managers from the Osun State Public Service in Osogbo as part of activities marking its 2025 New Year Party.
According to Olurode, elites are part of the challenges of Nigeria because they don’t vote.
He said, “No one deserves to complain if things are not going on well. Many Nigerians should not complain of hardship because they don’t contribute and even vote when they ought to. People should understand that politics will remain dirty and so they should stop running away from it.”
Olurode, a professor, expressed concerns over vote-buying and selling, urging voters to refrain from such attitude.
According to him, those who sell their votes have also contributed in plaguing the nation with the economic challenges it is currently confronting, of which has robbed them of right of complaints.
He decried over monetisation of the Nigerian politics, describing the menace as the undoing of the nation’s politics.
“Money politics is the greatest undoing of the Nigerian politics. But, I want to urge Nigerians not to allow money to alter their political decision. Don’t resign to your fate, it will worsen Nigeria’s hardship. Stop collecting money from politicians.
“Awolowo stood for principles. Money is good but it is not everything. Social capital is not money, and people should start refusing the insults that come with collecting money during elections. We should diminish the importance of money, else, we will be enslaved for life.
“We can’t make any progress if we continue to prioritize money in politics. INEC can’t get it 100 per cent because democracy is not customized, it is a struggle. It doesn’t come by so easy. I am not sure Nigerians are ready to give democracy what it requires. Awolowo was killed cheaply and nothing happens till today,” he said.
Olurode added, “Let us all go into the next elections with renewed vigour, doggedness and optimism; stop the blame game or demonising political leadership play a positive role in the change process.”
Also speaking, the chairman of the ocassion, retired judge of the Osun High Court, Justice Dejo Akanbi, urged the forum members to go out and educate people around them so that they can embrace democracy and be more serious about the electioneering process.
“Let us go and educate our people about democracy. We should not leave it to politicians alone, we should all participate in democracy,” he urged.
