Nigerian Presidential Election: 15 Things To Consider Before Casting Your Vote

Nigeria’s Presidential elections are around the corner, and many candidates are contesting, with a few leading in the polls. But why should you vote for any candidate of your choice? You may have reasons, but we are here to arm you with fifteen more things to consider before casting that vote tomorrow.

Making up your mind on which candidate to support in a presidential election may be a difficult endeavor. To assist you in making an educated choice, the following are some measures that you may take

Recognize the problems:

Many issues have plagued the country for years, but not everyone shares the same fate, so not everyone faces the same obstacles. For you as an individual, carefully look at those things that have been significant problems and weigh them against your preferred choice. Will whoever it can eradicate such personal concerns when voted in? Make sure you are well-informed on the topics that are significant to you before casting your vote.

Investigate the candidate:

Please get to know your candidate, look them up, read about them, and listen to past interviews and speeches. Do their words betray their actions and vice versa, or are they consistent with each other? Of course, they have to be who they say they are, or your vote won’t count for anything if you make the mistake of voting for an unstable or incompetent leader. So, spend some time investigating the people vying for office, especially your person. Examine their positions on issues together with their voting history.

Assess their leadership abilities:

This is another vital point to consider. All the candidates vying for the position of President have, at some point, become leaders at various levels of government. Please look at their history and how they could take care of their assigned roles. In addition, take into account the candidate’s crisis management and leadership abilities.

Take a look at their background:

Before you finally pitch your tent with any of the presidential candidates, examine their track record. Go through what they have done and have been able to achieve in time past with previously occupied government positions. Were they great, exemplary leaders? Analyze the candidate’s performance in prior roles by looking at their record.

Evaluate their personality:

All candidates may be on their best behavior now because of the elections lurking in the corner, but from past actions and research, you can decipher their character traits and personalities. Nobody pretends forever. So, carefully analyze your preferred candidate’s honesty and character. Do they have the required temperaments and sense of judgment to fill the challenging shoes of the President?

Think about their knowledge:

It is common knowledge that knowledge is power, so it’s a no-brainer that anyone vying for a position of power should be knowledgeable. Knowing who is getting your vote would be in your best interest. Their wealth of knowledge garnered through education, and experience should be considered as it can affect their capacity to lead.

Assessment of their running mate:

A presidential aspirant is just as good or bad as their running mates because birds of a feather tend to flock together. Run a background check on your preferred candidate’s choice of running mate. Does the running mate indeed qualify to be the country’s vice president? In the event of the President’s absence, can they represent the President and what he stands for? Also, think about the qualifications of the candidate’s running mate.

Review their strategies:

During their rallies and campaigns, pay attention to the presidential candidates, especially those you would love to vote for. Assess their publicized agenda and strategies for when they get elected. Are their strategies castles being built in the air, or are they feasible? This would help separate the serious, passionate candidates from the liars.

Verify their financial sources:

It is essential to note your preferred candidate’s financial sources, which they could turn to for financial aid, and their information sources on finance, as this influences their policies bordering on finance. And we all know that when a country’s coffers are in jeopardy, all aspects of the economy take a hit, making the living conditions of the masses a horrifying reality.

Assessment of their foreign policy:

Everyone has various perspectives on various issues and concepts. So you might want to find out what the views of your preferred candidate are on international policies; if they are open-minded or closed off. Their assessment of foreign laws will either help build better foreign ties for the country or create wedges, which would not be great for national security in cases requiring international assistance.

Examine their position on economic policy:

This is one of the most crucial points to consider. One of the significant roles of leaders in the highest position of government authority is to improve the nation’s economy. If, after a president’s tenure(s), there is no recognizable positive change in the country’s economy, then such a president came to power solely to carry out a selfish agenda. So, please consider the candidate’s economic plans and their effects on the economy.

Security:

A nation’s security is vital because there is no good governance if citizens go about their daily activities with their hearts in their mouths, scared for their lives. So it is necessary to examine your preferred candidate’s position on national security and how it could affect the security of the general public. Also, find out their plans to elevate national security if elected. Are they solid, implementable plans?

Verify their position on foreign aid:

Please get to know what their thoughts are on foreign aid. How do they feel about relating with and building relationships with foreign countries? Their perspectives on foreign aid would help boost the country’s economy or deplete it slowly. So, consider the implications of the candidate’s position on foreign aid on international relations before you cast that vote.

Healthcare:

Healthcare is another essential thing to consider when choosing who to vote for. If the citizens of a country are sick and cannot access proper, decent healthcare, how can the country’s economy get better when health is wealth? Consider the candidate’s position on healthcare and how it could affect access and affordability. Check their position on healthcare and learn about their plans for better healthcare.

Education:

The citizens of a nation (especially children and young people) should be able to get easy and affordable access to quality education. Suppose youngsters are indeed the future of every country. In that case, every candidate with the desire to occupy the position of President should have a sound plan and systems that would be put in place to make sure quality education goes around. So, consider your preferred candidate’s position on education and be sure it aligns with what will be of immense benefit to the masses.