In a concerted effort to add value to our political and electoral system, and to advance our democratic experiment, norms and culture to the next level, expected to be very instrumental in determining the course of political leadership in Nigeria, particularly, in ensuring credible elections and the emergence of credible leadership and good governance, the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Living Legends Foundation have developed a new electioneering campaign model titled “The Next President TV Reality Show”, also known as “Presidential TV Reality Show”.
The Next President TV Reality Show is electoral initiative aimed at sensitizing and re-orientating the mindset of Nigerians towards embracing the right attitude towards politics and elections in order to reduce political tension and minimize political violence before, during and after elections. On the other hand, the initiative is designed to play a leading role in electioneering campaign as a formidable political platform. It is intended to provide a unified campaign platform for political parties, politicians and presidential aspirants to address Nigerians on their vision and programmes for Nigeria and the roadmap to realizing them. The Reality Show will help in our efforts to entrench internationally acceptable and acclaimed democratic culture, norms and values.
• The idea of TV Reality Show has a strategic underpinning; it aims at exploring the current high popularity rating and patronage of Reality Shows all over the world, which cuts-across all gender and age to drive home the message for the need for the various stakeholders to act in a civilized and democratic manner in order to bequeath our nation a credible election. It is an established fact that Reality Show will enhance a better perception of issues by the electorate, and also will enhance publicity and enlightenment drive that will have far-reaching impact on the psyche of the electorate and the voting public.
• The Reality Show will feature interesting side-attractions such as Drama Piece, Comedy and Music Interlude/Stage Performance; all of which will be potent purveyors of the message the initiatives are designed to project in the consciousness of the Nigerian people and the voting public.
The drama sketch will cover five major sectors of our national life identified to be very critical to the emergence of credible elections. The drama will mirror these key sectors to show how its action or inaction can impact positively or negatively on elections.
The initiative is expected to address the following key issues listed below:
• To re-orientate the masses on the strategic and collective importance on the involvement and participation of every eligible Nigerian in the electoral process as our civic responsibility as the collateral consequences of our non-participation is always and usually disastrous and colossal.
• To sensitize the mindset and value system of the voting public (the electorate) to appreciate the value and sacredness of their votes in facilitating the emergence and enthronement of credible leadership that can usher in the much expected good governance and democratic dividends.
• To reverse the voter’s apathy and the inclination to electoral brigandage and violence with its negative consequences on our political psyche.
The following objectives will be entrenched:
1. A strong platform for the robust discussion of the Nigeria Project by intending aspirants to the Presidency and other elective positions
2. Smooth development of the political process in the areas of embracing and internalizing the right political principles, values and democratic culture
3. Becomes a novelty and a very formidable medium to sensitize and sanitize the polity and to inspire the interest of the people in the electioneering process for effective mobilization, thus, creating the right political atmosphere and awareness; educating and enlightening the masses and the electorate on their political rights and what to look out for in a person presenting himself or herself for political office and leadership position.
4. It will help to promote the image of the participating Political Parties and their Presidential candidates, thus enhancing the perception of the parties by the electorate.
5. It will entertain, inform and educate the populace to know what to look out for in the process of making leadership choices, and will serve to set agenda for the process of evolving credible leadership in the overall interest of the nation.
6. It will serve also as a good resource/research material for future electoral processes and decisions, enlightenment campaigns and reforms.
While the following positive outcomes are envisaged:
1. High Level of Awareness: It is quite obvious that the general public will be better informed on their civic responsibilities, their choices and the consequences of their choices and decisions, which to a certain degree will influence in positive terms what they do with their voting rights.
2. Elimination of or Reduction in Voters’ Apathy: As the Reality Show is designed to educate the general public on elections’ best practices and the importance and necessity of participating in elections, and making voting a priority, there is no doubt that voters’ apathy will drastically reduce.
3. Elimination of Political Brigandage: With the right awareness, voters will not sell their votes nor lend themselves as instruments of political thuggery; they will be more alert and proactive to expose and forestall all forms of electoral malpractices thus eliminating brigandage and hooliganism.
4. Equal Uniform Platform: It will give the political parties an equal, uniform and wider platform to reach the electorate with their manifestos at convenience, thus giving vent and expression to all the various issues and matters arising from the conduct of elections.
Our desire to host an electoral event of this magnitude is to support INEC and the Government towards the creation of a conducive, enabling environment for the forth-coming election is born out of patriotism and respect for the sanctity of life as co-partners with government in nation-building to ensure that there would be no repeat of the sad event that took place after the 2011 Election.
Femi Adesina Frank Okechukwu
President Executive Director
Nigerian Guild of Editors Living Legends Foundation
