The war against bribery and corruption, low-level of technological advancement, tribalism, nepotism, partiality, lack of patriotism and political instability amongst others, are the major role of the youths in ensuring smooth electioneering process of their country.
In any developed or developing Nation, youths stands as the requisite and energetic portion of the population .They are the incubators and the driving force for innovation, change and progress in all human collectiveness. I will be right to say that “No Nation can experience positive change and advancement if her youths are not strategically and constructively invested upon, empowered and engaged”.
Tomorrow stand the D-Day of 2023 general election of Nigeria, the energy and drives of youths must be tactfully packaged and directed towards playing constructive roles in the process of governance and development of a society.
While, Journalists are trained professionals whose occupation is production and distribution of reports about the facts and ideas of an event, which informs the society about the occurrence of an event with accuracy and transparency through prints, television, or radio.
Electioneering Process:
The Electioneering process can be described as the total process that includes Campaign, registration of voters, identifying the political parties to be voted for, voting, counting of votes, and declaration of election results. This process is the foundation of civil societies.
The Role Of Youths To Ensure Smooth Electioneering Conduct.
In any Democratic society or Nation, youths have important roles to play towards ensuring smooth electioneering process in their various domains. They need to be given full right to participate in ensuring smooth electioneering process without any derogation or intimidation, since Democracy is government for the people, whereby, citizens have the right to choose who rules them.
Roles of youths towards ensuring a smooth electioneering process includes but not limited to the following:
They are to fight the war against corruption; rigging the election, snatching of ballot boxes, compromisation, violence and falsification of election figures. They are to support the best suited candidate(s) to ensure a good governance, and a competent leader to lead their country.
The war against bribery and corruption, low-level of technological advancement, tribalism, nepotism, partiality, lack of patriotism and political instability amongst others, are the major role of the youths in ensuring smooth electioneering process of their country.
Furthermore, youths need to educate the voters on electoral activities, organize and educate themselves on how to fight and tackle the electoral irregularities.
They also need to educate the illiterate citizens on how to cast their votes free and fairly without any intimidation.
Youths are to maintain the law and order of the country, so as to promote peaceful movements, co-existence and protect the dignity of the country.
The Role Of Journalists To Ensure Smooth Electioneering Conduct:
Journalists have critical roles to play in monitoring election activities to ensure smooth electioneering processes by reporting the factual data to enhance transparency and accountability in the conduct of elections. It is news of the people, by the people and for the people in a democratic society.
Journalists provide on the spot information on polling units during the election by sincerely monitoring election proceedings on observation and surveillance of the environment to ensure transparency and free and fair proceedings. These can be done by taking pictures, photos and other activities on election ground.
Since Elections in Nigeria are characterized by irregularities like rigging, snatching of ballot boxes, bribery and corruption, violence and falsification of election figures, it is therefore, very essential that journalists be employed in the monitoring of election proceedings so as to curb these. Journalists are charged with the task of ensuring that the electoral process is transparent and accountable by exposing all kinds of corruption and irregularities during the election activities.
They are to disclose stories about political corruption, police brutality and other issues of concern to local, national and international communities.
So, journalists should be employed to uncover the irregularities in their respective voting centers.
They also investigate and uncovers electoral fraud and report to the general public, they update electorates with vital information regarding the conduct of election by monitoring proceedings/trends before, during and after the election.
Conclusively, before 25th February 2023, the Nigerian Youths and Journalists have to understand their roles, and then discharge their responsibilities to ensure free and fair election conducts in their various domains and to shun away any kind of election violence or misconducts in Nigeria and the entire society at large.