A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Mr Monday Ubani, says Nigeria is at the threshold of a new beginning as he canvased support and belief in the new Electoral Act.
Ubani stated this while delivering a keynote speech at the 14th Founders Day anniversary of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Ubani spoke on the topic: “Elections – A Paradigm Shift and a Pathway to a Responsible Governance.”
He said that the new Electoral Act of 2020 and the general election would offer the country the opportunity to choose the kind of leadership that would redeem its citizens scattered all over the country and abroad.
Ubani called on the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to perfect the usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) before the forthcoming elections.
“If we deepen the usage of BVAS and electronic transmission of results in the general elections to ensure a fairer process with the attendant emergence of desired leaders whose antecedents of virtue are well known, we might as well be on our way to total recovery as a nation,” he said.
The lawyer said that the new Electoral Act with its innovative provisions for electronic accreditation and transmission of results would be the game changer.
He said that for the country to be put on the path of greatness again the citizens must change its style and parameters for the recruitment of its political leadership.
“The parameters should not be tribalism, religious affinity, language similarity, blood relationship, school friendship, business partnership or questionable philanthropy.
“The Nigerian voters must be awake from their terrible deep slumber.
“The paradigm shift is that the voters who are at the centre of attraction in this new beginning must take into account virtues that can lift Nigeria to greatness,” Ubani said.
He said that the next Nigerian president must be a global citizen with the needed capacity and wisdom.
Ubani added that the person must have the capacity to fix the country’s education and health sectors as well as security architecture.
Also speaking, Pastor Samuel Sanusi, the General Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, BSN, expressed gratitude to the invited guests who sacrifice their time, went through the challenges of fuel and cash scarcity to grace the ocassion.
Sanusi called for concerted effort to support the building of a befitting Bible House for the society and to support the printing and distribution of the Word of God..
Highlights of the ocassion was the presentation of awards to deserving Nigerians who have supported the work of the society.
