Insight February 25: Calm Down!

Calm down, Cast your votes and Carry on

Take it easy - very easy.

The election isn’t the only thing happening today 🤷. 

February 25 is either your birthday or just another day. Today, babies will be born, some toddlers will take their first steps. Look over your shoulder at the polling queue, the love of your life might be standing right there👩‍❤️‍👨. 

Hey, focus!

There’s an election this morning. 

However, you can’t vote if you’re one of the 6.26 million registered voters without their Permanent Voters Card (PVC), according to data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In all, 6.7% of the 93.47 million (93,469,008) total registered voters for the 2023 general elections don’t have their PVCs.

But you can still do something. 

Though you can’t vote, still, you have a voice. You could wake your neighbour up to leave home early for their accreditation. You could cheer up your spouse as she proceeds to cast her ballot.

Oh, If you’ve got your PVC, just head off straight to your Polling Unit and perform your duty to our dear country.

The fact is, some states have people with more PVCs than others. Yet, what matters, in the end, is how many of them turn out to vote.

So, to increase the chances of your candidate winning, you must step out to vote now.

Calm Down

As you set out to vote today, remember you’re not voting for Nigeria’s president alone!

You’ll be voting for 2 other persons - the Senator to represent your senatorial zone and the Federal Representative to represent your constituency in the National Assembly.

Do you know these guys at all? Can you mention the names of these 2 other guys🤦

You’ll also need to calm down if you observe some logistic hitches. INEC’s mostly ad-hoc field staff are people like you and me who only answered this high call to the service of the fatherland. Just relax, everything will be alright.

Right from the Commission’s distribution of the Permanent Voters Cards to people, data showed that the more the number of registered voters in a region of the country, the less the proportion of PVCs INEC was able to distribute, and vice versa.

While its possible some registered voters simply refused to turn up to collect their PVCs, the inverse relationship between the population of registered voters and the proportion of PVCs collected may also be pointing towards the Commission’s insufficient hands and logistics.

Another source of worry is whether your vote will count. Yes, it does. It doesn’t matter where you are, the state or region of the country, your vote counts. Calm down and proceed to cast your vote.

Calm Down

On election day, emotions run high,

As we cast our ballots and await the reply,

Of who will lead us through the coming years,

And calm seems far, amid all the cheers and jeers.

But in the midst of this election strife,

There lies a place of peaceful life,

Where noise recedes and worries fade,

And anxiety's grip begins to abate.

It's a moment to pause, take a breath,

And set aside our worries and our stress,

To remember that life goes on,

No matter who wins, no matter who's gone.

We can find calm in the knowledge that,

We're all part of something bigger than that,

A nation of people, all working together,

To create a better world, no matter the weather.

So on this day of great importance,

Let's strive to find calm and not let our hearts tense,

For we have the power to make a change,

To create a better world, free of pain and rage.

Let's focus on the common goal,

And let our hearts and minds be whole,

With love guiding us through,

We’ll make it through this election, just me and you.

Composed with Chat GPT

Cast your Vote

Yeah. If you know your polling unit already, that’s great. Proceed there early. 

Voting starts at 8.30 am and ends at 2:30 pm. However, the INEC Chairman assured that any voter in the queue before 2:30 pm would be allowed to vote even if voting goes beyond the official closing time. No voter would be disenfranchised. 

If you need directions to your polling unit, it’s easy. Click this link and follow the prompts.

It does not matter whether you are voting in a region or state of the country where people have more or fewer PVCs. What matters most is what you do with your own PVC.

Whether you are a first-time voter or not, voting comes with a sense of empowerment that you’ve made a statement that your voice and that of others count in shaping the future of our country or your community.

Cast your vote

Casting my vote, a duty I hold dear,

To make my voice heard, loud and clear,

I step into the booth, with purpose and pride,

To choose the candidate who will guide.

I carefully consider each platform and plan,

Evaluating the promises made by each woman and man,

For this decision, I know, will impact us all,

And I want to ensure we don't stumble or fall.

I mark my ballot, with careful precision,

Choosing the person who'll make the best decision,

For our country, our state, our town, and our school,

A leader who's wise, just, and always cool.

As I cast my vote, I feel a sense of empowerment,

Knowing that I've done my part to make a statement,

And that my voice, along with those of others,

Will shape our future, and make us all brothers.

So I urge you, my fellow citizens, to do the same,

Cast your vote, and make your claim,

For together, we can make a difference,

And ensure our nation's continued brilliance.

Composed with Chat GPT

Cool Off

When you’ve cast your vote, you’ve won!

You’ve played your part. It is left for the others to decide if the candidate would win, so as to play her or his larger representative part.

The moment you fold the ballot in the box. Tell yourself “I won!”

You can proceed home and cool off without any anxiety that your preferred candidate might lose.

It’s okay to worry about how other people will vote, in your state or in other regions, especially if you think they have more voters, that is, more PVCs.

For instance, the Northwest voters have about 25% of the 87.21 million PVCs and almost match that of voters in the Northeast and Southeast altogether. This, for instance, can make one worry endlessly about the fate of one’s ballot if the larger voting blocks do not vote massively for the candidate one has voted for.

Again, it’s normal to feel happy if your candidate wins and to feel deflated if your candidate loses. But whichever way, you can only congratulate or sympathize with them. Don’t take it personally. Remember you won the moment you cast your votes.

Coping with election results can be challenging, especially if the outcome is not what you hoped for. Here are some strategies that may help:

• Acknowledge your emotions: It is normal to feel a range of emotions after an election, including disappointment, anger, or frustration. Allow yourself to feel these emotions and acknowledge that it is okay to feel this way.
• Practice self-care: Take care of yourself by engaging in activities that you enjoy and that help you feel relaxed, such as exercise or spending time with loved ones.
• Limit media consumption: Constantly checking the news or social media for updates can increase anxiety and stress. Consider limiting your exposure to news and social media and taking breaks from them.
• Stay informed: While limiting your media consumption can be helpful, it is also important to stay informed about what is happening. Make sure you get your news from reliable sources.
• Connect with others: Talk to others about your feelings and share your thoughts and concerns. Connect with people who have similar views and beliefs as you to feel less alone.
• Take action: If you are unhappy with the election results, consider taking action. This can involve volunteering for political campaigns, joining advocacy groups, or contacting your elected representatives.
• Seek professional help: If you are struggling to cope with your emotions or are experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, seek professional help. This may involve talking to a therapist or counselor.

Cool Off

The waiting period can be long and slow,

As we anticipate the election's final glow.

We wonder who will take the lead,

And what their promises will bring indeed.

We watch the numbers as they rise and fall,

And wonder if we're ready for it all.

The outcome uncertain, the tension high,

We keep on waiting, there could be a tie.

Each candidate prepares their speech,

The media waits to report and to reach.

The public waits with bated breath,

For results from length and breadth.

And when the results finally come in,

We'll either lose or we'll win.

But whatever happens, we must cope,

And find a way to live with hope.

For life goes on, and we must move,

Find common ground, find our groove.

And though it may be hard to bear,

We'll find a way to mend and re-pair.

For in the end, it's not the vote,

But how we live and how we promote

Our values and beliefs, our hope and our dreams,

That makes us a nation, united and supreme.

Composed with Chat GPT

Today is either your birthday, election day, or just another day.

As long as we’ve played our individual role in nation-building today, “whatever happens we must cope and find a way to live with hope”.

Calm down, Cast your vote, Cool off, and see you next week!