Use Technology To Prevent Electoral Rigging In 2023, Lawmaker Urges Youths

A member of the House of Representatives from Oyo State, Shina Peller, has said Nigerian youths can make election rigging impossible if they use the technology at their disposal productively.

The lawmaker, who represents Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency, also urged the youths to get involved in the process of electing leaders who would turn around the country.

Peller, who spoke on Friday at a virtual lecture held to mark the second anniversary of Lead Generation Initiative, a non- partisan organisation which he founded, said it was not enough for the youths to register to vote.

He said they must participate in the process of nomination of candidates by their various political parties, saying that is the time they could be part of the agents of positive change the country was waiting to have.

He said, “If we use our technology right, nobody will be able to rig elections.

“We are talking about youths and technology and that is what we need in 2023. The young people must be able to identify who they want as leaders.

“The youth must take responsibility to build the kind of leaders they want, they have all it takes to make a change in 2023. Having your PVCs is not enough, you must participate. Join a political party to be able to participate in nominating credible and competent leaders

“Some say APC is bad, PDP is bad, but there is no time for a new party. Our plan is to make an impact on the 2023 and we need unity.”

The Executive Director of YIAGA, Samson, said the youths must be fully involved in electing those to lead the country.

Itodo, who was represented by the Programme Manager of YIAGA, Ibrahim Faruk, urged Nigerian youths to make use of available technology to effect positive change in the country’s political space.

The Chairperson of ElectHER, Ibijoke Faborode, said it was unfortunate that politicians had weaponized poverty and are making use of it to dictate who the poor masses should vote for.

She called for economic empowerment to enable the masses to choose rightly at polls.

The Executive Director of the
Lead Generation Initiative, Mrs Ayobola Peller, said the group would not stop its efforts to stimulate the interest of the youths in political participation in the country.

She said, ” With the 2023 General Elections in view and the events leading up to it, we decided that the most important conversation to be having at this moment is about the immediate future of our dear country.”