The President of International Market Alaba Electronics (IMAE), Chief Camilus Amajuoyi, has said that the over 1.5 million traders in the popular electronics market have been sensitized to vote in the forthcoming general elections.

Speaking in an interview, he said that the operation show your PVC, which they ordered in the market was a very big success.

He also spoke on how the scarcity of the new naira notes is affecting business in the market, as well as on other issues. Excerpt:

The much anticipated 2023 general elections is around the corner, how prepared are the traders in Alaba International Market?

Alaba traders are fully sensitized to participate in the forthcoming elections. As Jens Stoltenberg rightly said, “by voting we add our voice to the chorus that forms opinions and the basis of action.” So, Alaba traders are ready to add their voice to the outcome of the 2023 general elections. Before now, we felt that we are businessmen and not politicians, but the reality is just because you don’t take interest in politics does not mean politics would not take interest in you. What I mean is, whether you vote or you don’t vote, the policies of government must impact on you and on your business; 2023 general election is election like no other. The reason is because it is the soul of the nation that is at stake. So, nobody should say that he or she is not interested. It is either we get it right in this election or we lose it forever. Policies of governments in the past have not been very favourable to us. Our businesses are being affected negatively. Traders are not being carried along in issues that concern them. That is why we as a body decided that we have to participate fully in the coming election because if you don’t vote, you lose the right to complain.”

What steps have the market taken so far to ensure active participation?

Well, we have done a lot. When voters card registration was going on, we closed the market for some days to enable the traders to go and register. Again, when INEC announced that people should start coming for their voters card, we also closed the market for them to go and collect their PVCs. The reason was because we don’t want the traders to give any excuse for not exercising their civic rights during the election. It was after we have done all that, that we started operation show your PVC, which means before you open your shop, you have to show your PVC. We formed a task force for that. They went around to see that every trader in the market has his or her permanent voters card. Alaba international market has more than one million, five hundred thousand members and we are ready to make impact in the election. The truth is that in the last few years businessmen and women have been going through hell. Those who were bringing in five or six containers in the past, today can hardly bring one. I know that there is global economic meltdown, but some of the policies of those in power is also contributing to the crumbling of our businesses. George Jean Nathan said that “bad officers are elected by good citizens who don’t vote.” So, we have made up our minds to be exercising our civic rights.

How are you carrying on with voter education because getting PVC is one thing, voting is another?

Well, Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric said that “when you were made a leader, you were not given a crown, rather you were given the responsibility to bring out the best in others.” As a leader, I have studied the mentality of our people, I mean the traders. Most of them have concluded that votes don’t count in Nigeria and this is the main reason for apathy in elections. That is why during elections, you would see some youths playing football on the streets instead of going to exercise their civic rights. Again, some people went to get their Permanent Voters Cards so that they would be using it as identity cards in the banks and other places. But we the leaders in Alaba have worked hard to change that mentality. We have made them to understand that there is no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. Somebody said that one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you would end up being governed by those who you are better than. So, we have made them to realize that for them to get a government of their choice or leaders of their choice, they must exercise their franchise. We are not really campaigning for any candidate or candidates, but for them to go and exercise their franchise based on their convictions and experiences.

How do you see the new naira notes and how is it affecting your businesses?

I am aware that once in a while countries change or redesign their currencies. They do this after five years or eight years. So, I feel that CBN is carrying out its statutory duties, but the problem that we have right now in the country is the timing. Assuming that we are not in election time, the exercise would have been seamless. However, one of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency. This is where the CBN got it wrong. They did not recognize the problem that the masses would face. They did not make preparations for what has now become an emergency and causing protests in different parts of the country. So, the scarcity of the new naira notes as well as the election are causing a lot of tension and panic both on the people and in the economy. People are even afraid of spending money because they don’t know what would be the outcome of the election. That is affecting our business because people have not seen money to buy their basic needs like food, let alone buying electronics. You know there is a difference between needs and wants. Our products fall under wants.

What advice do you have for the Nigerian masses with regard to the election?

My advice is that they should vote their mind. They must not allow anybody to influence their choice of candidates. Nigeria is a blessed country. It is the land that is flowing with milk and honey. I have not really seen any country that is as blessed as Nigeria with regard to natural resources and weather. The biggest challenge that we have is bad leadership. We have not been able to get our leadership right. If we are able to enthrone the right leadership, everything would fall into place in the country. That is why I am appealing to Nigeria to put religion and ethnicity aside in this election and vote for competent candidates. (Sunday Sun)

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