Why is it that in a country of over 150 million people, Nigeria only had to chose between two very poor candidates in the last election cycle? You mean that with all the smart people in the country all we were left with was a corrupt President and a former millitary dictator? Na wa o.

So herein lies my question; how do we improve how election process so that the people have better choices (the best and the brightest) next time. Abeg, i am tired of having to chose between poor candidates during each election, the Nigerian people deserve better.

Nairalanders what do you feel? am i right or wrong? Please feel free to drop a comment below if you have any idea of how to improve how election process.

lalasticalala

My first suggestion would be to change the primary process in each party from a closed primary to an open primary. The primaries should be open to the public like it is in the U.S so that the people get to vote on who gets to represent there party in the national elections. This should also be applied to gubernatorial senate races, house races and other state and local races. This way we get to have a more transparent process.

For example, earlier this year, you had around 17 candidates running for the Republican nomination and after several months in which different states went to the ballots, one of the candidates emerged the winner and won the right to represent his party as the sole nominee in the general elections.

lalasticlala

Another suggestion would be to require the candidates (at most 4) to have a nationally televised debate where they face off and present there ideas to the populace so that the people can select who they feel have the best ideas to lead the nation.

Question for the ages. I would suggest more ballot access for 3rd party to contest elections. Then move towards demanding debates and politicians to show plan on website. I don't know if it will do much but just a thought.

na u post na you be first, second and third to comment...na wa oo

Another suggestion would be to allow the public to vote for the Attorney General of the nation and also for each state. This way, we won't only be having someone loyal to the President but an independent and publicly elected official who would be able to attack corruption as he sees fit instead of only going after the President's enemies. The same should be done for the position of Police commissioner for every state; let the people decide who gets to be there top law enforcement officer of there state.

That's why I still have respect for Tinubu. He is that guy who raises the bar in terms of who steps forward to contest at the party level. He support the more competent hands often.
A quick look at the calibre of people PDP unleashed in the SW would explain better the advantage of Tinubu's influence.

Sibrah:
That's why I still have respect for Tinubu. He is that guy who raises the bar in terms of who steps forward to contest at the party level. He support the more competent hands often.
A quick look at the calibre of people PDP unleashed in the SW would explain better the advantage of Tinubu's influence.

tinubu is nothing but an afonja

Please this is not the thread for tribalism or fingerpointing but for constructive ideas.

abokibuhari:

tinubu is nothing but an afonja

Please this is not the thread for tribalism or fingerpointing but for constructive ideas

U complain as if u can do better than either of them. If u think its easy, why not go and contest. Nigerians are fond of always complaining anyhow

davidif:
Another suggestion would be to allow the public to vote for the Attorney General of the nation and also for each state. This way, we won't only be having someone loyal to the President but an independent and publicly elected official who would be able to attack corruption as he sees fit instead of only going after the President's enemies. The same should be done for the position of Police commissioner for every state; let the people decide who gets to be there top law enforcement officer of there state.

And when the AG refuses to prosecute his friends for crimes and corruption, what will u do? You have to wait 4 years to remove him, by which time the case file might have dissappeared!

blackpanda:
U complain as if u can do better than either of them. If u think its easy, why not go and contest. Nigerians are fond of always complaining anyhow

That's where the problem lies. The system is completely rigged against common folks running for the highest office in the land. The system is not transparent and fair at all.

Also, i asked for suggestions not insults. Please if you don't have any ideas then keep your opinions to yourself sir and have a good day.

Sibrah:
That's why I still have respect for Tinubu. He is that guy who raises the bar in terms of who steps forward to contest at the party level. He support the more competent hands often.
A quick look at the calibre of people PDP unleashed in the SW would explain better the advantage of Tinubu's influence.

Same Tinubu that supported the emergence of this same buhari? He really raised the bar of idiocy in the nation politics

vanbonattel:


Same Tinubu that supported the emergence of this same buhari? He really raised the bar of idiocy in the nation politics

Don't worry, he will support Jonathan.

Sibrah:
Don't worry, he will support Jonathan.

Who needs him to, learn to live with this mistake first

davidif:



That's where the problem lies. The system is completely rigged against common folks running for the highest office in the land. The system is not transparent and fair at all.

Also, i asked for suggestions not insults. Please if you don't have any ideas then keep your opinions to yourself sir and have a good day.

Where is the insult in what I wrote?? Like I said, nigerians are fond of always nagging. System is not fair? Life is not fair! If u think its easy then go and contest. If u cant, allow those that can and stop making noise

davidif:
Why is it that in a country of over 150 million people, Nigeria only had to chose between two very poor candidates in the last election cycle? You mean that with all the smart people in the country all we were left with was a corrupt President and a former millitary dictator? Na wa o.

So herein lies my question; how do we improve how election process so that the people have better choices (the best and the brightest) next time. Abeg, i am tired of having to chose between poor candidates during each election, the Nigerian people deserve better.

Nairalanders what do you feel? am i right or wrong? Please feel free to drop a comment below if you have any idea of how to improve how election process.

You are spot on.

blackpanda:


And when the AG refuses to prosecute his friends for crimes and corruption, what will u do? You have to wait 4 years to remove him, by which time the case file might have dissappeared!

If the AG refuses to fight corruption then we recall him like they do with public officials in Europe and in the U.S where a governor can be recalled for incompetence, corruption et al.


A recall election (also called a recall referendum or representative recall) is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended. Recalls, which are initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition, have a history dating back to the ancient Athenian democracy[1] and are a feature of several contemporary constitutions.In indirect or representative democracy people's representatives are elected and these representatives rule for a specific period of time. But if any representative is not properly discharging his/her responsibilities, then he/she can be called back with the written request of specific number of voters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recall_election


Recall election: method of election in which voters can oust an elected official before his official term has ended.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/recall-election

blackpanda:


Where is the insult in what I wrote?? Like I said, nigerians are fond of always nagging. System is not fair? Life is not fair! If u think its easy then go and contest. If u cant, allow those that can and stop making noise

So because life is not fair, we should just be quiet and go along with a very incompetent leadership? If you feel that way then good for you but as for me, i will keep making noise because its my constitutional right and for Naija's sakes i will not be silent. That's my opinion. If you don't like it that's your own business.

Closed mouths don't get fed - Anonymous

The problem is a society problem, we don't produce leaders, what we have are rulers. We need to raise the bar of leadership. People contesting must have a minimum acceptable qualification and experience, backed with success in their previous positions.
And going forward, we need to invest in leadership development of the next generation, because if things continues like this, they are going to be worse

davidif:


So because life is not fair, we should just be quiet and go along with a very incompetent leadership? If you feel that way then good for you but as for me, i will keep making noise because its my constitutional right and for Naija's sakes i will not be silent. That's my opinion. If you don't like it that's your own business.

Closed mouths don't get fed - Anonymous

I never said u shld be quiet. On d contrary, I said if u dont like it then go and contest. If u no fit contest then stop nagging at people that did! If u are hungry thats ur choice

davidif:


If the AG refuses to fight corruption then we recall him like they do with public officials in Europe and in the U.S where a governor can be recalled for incompetence, corruption et al.


A recall election (also called a recall referendum or representative recall) is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended. Recalls, which are initiated when sufficient voters sign a petition, have a history dating back to the ancient Athenian democracy[1] and are a feature of several contemporary constitutions.In indirect or representative democracy people's representatives are elected and these representatives rule for a specific period of time. But if any representative is not properly discharging his/her responsibilities, then he/she can be called back with the written request of specific number of voters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recall_election


Recall election: method of election in which voters can oust an elected official before his official term has ended.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/recall-election

How many of ur elected officials have u ever recalled in this country, no matter how ineffective, corrupt and useless?? Pls lets focus on things that are workable. Nigeria is not America, we operate different systems, different people and different ideology.

blackpanda:


I never said u shld be quiet. On d contrary, I said if u dont like it then go and contest. If u no fit contest then stop nagging at people that did! If u are hungry thats ur choice

I will nag all i want when things are not going well sir. Its my constitutional right.

blackpanda:


Where is the insult in what I wrote?? Like I said, nigerians are fond of always nagging. System is not fair? Life is not fair! If u think its easy then go and contest. If u cant, allow those that can and[b] stop making noise[/b]

Well, here is why you said i should be quiet.

davidif:


I will nag all i want when things are not going well sir. Its my constitutional right.

Its also their constitutional right to ignore your ramblings

There are at least 2 parts to the problem, only one of which it's possible to do something about in the short term:

1. The way in which Nigerian political parties are currently funded gives too much power to "godfathers" at the expense of the grassroots. If strict campaign finance regulations were in place, and effectively enforced (not a trivial matter in Nigeria), there would be a much stronger incentive for the parties to cultivate mass memberships from whom they could draw funds, rather than depending on huge donations from a few big shots. This in turn would open the way for the rise of candidates who can galvanize the masses to sign up and contribute by pitching new ideas in a persuasive manner.

2. In Nigerian politics, ethnicity and religion play a far bigger role than ideology or track record. Consequently, most Nigerians (even the "educated" ones) care much more about whether a person is from "their" region than anything the candidate claims to believe or says (s)he wishes to achieve once in office. Just look at the recent Ondo APC primaries, in the course of which not a single substantive policy issue was discussed throughout the whole process, just whether a candidate was from Akure, Ondo South, etc. One can try to force candidates to discuss their policies in American-style debates, but one can't force a highly tribalistic populace to listen, let alone actually care about what is said, and this issue is a problem I don't see any real solution to.

If after 56 years of independence, Nigerians are still as obsessed with ethnicity as ever, then I fear that the fate of this "country" is to continue to suffer from dysfunctional politics until it meets the same fate as another ill-fated "prison of peoples", namely the Austro-Hungarian empire. In other words, I'm saying I expect this colonial contraption to limp on in failure until its inevitable dissolution, and I lay the blame for this directly at the door of the Nigerian masses themselves.

blackpanda:


Its also their constitutional right to ignore your ramblings

Like I said at the beginning of the thread, this thread is for suggestions and ideas. If you have neither, please move along. Have a good day.

blackpanda:


Its also their constitutional right to ignore your ramblings

Like I said at the beginning of the thread, this thread is for ideas on how to improve our political process. If you don't have one, please move along. Have a good day.

davidif:


Like I said at the beginning of the thread, this thread is for ideas on how to improve our political process. If you don't have one, please move along. Have a good day.

My pm never works. U can see my number below n whatsapp or text me if that serious.

davidif:
Another suggestion would be to allow the public to vote for the Attorney General of the nation and also for each state. This way, we won't only be having someone loyal to the President but an independent and publicly elected official who would be able to attack corruption as he sees fit instead of only going after the President's enemies. The same should be done for the position of Police commissioner for every state; let the people decide who gets to be there top law enforcement officer of there state.

VERY very good suggestion

If smart people like you start contesting for the office of president our problems will be over,Nigeria will be the best country on earth.