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With the December 2024 general elections approaching, Pastor Dr. Abu Bako has advised the Electoral Commission (EC) to uphold impartiality and align its actions with a clear understanding of the national vision. This guidance, he suggests, will be essential for educating and equipping voters, whom he views as stakeholders in the electoral process and in the nation.
Dr. Bako, the founder of the Logos-Rhema Foundation for Leadership Resource Development, emphasized the importance of voter engagement in his book, The Strategic Voter. He argued that if the EC fulfills its educational role effectively, all eligible citizens should be automatically inclined to register as voters, recognizing their responsibility in shaping the government. He writes, “If the Commission is effective in this role, all people who have attained voting age should, if possible, automatically register as voters (shareholders) because they realise the imperative role they play in shaping the nation through government.”
Highlighting the EC’s responsibility, Dr. Bako added that the Commission’s work is crucial for instilling voter confidence and enabling them to see themselves as active participants and stakeholders in national governance. “The EC role is very important in making stakeholders move on to become shareholders—that is, true owners and employers,” he stated.
The State of the Nation Depends on Voters
Dr. Bako, also an agricultural economist, cautioned voters to be diligent in choosing their leaders. In his book, he compared voters to shareholders in a company, warning, “When shareholders or voters err in their selection of a board or leaders, they are the ones who will hear the consequences of any losses the company makes.” At a national level, he said, the voting public often bears the brunt of poor choices, while political candidates rarely face direct consequences.
“Do you wonder now, when civil unrest falls upon the nation, it is the citizenry first that suffers the worst consequences? Do you wonder why many political leaders have managed to escape justice for a long time? Do you wonder why as a kingdom citizen you have prayed long and hard and prayed in prayed out leaders but to no avail?” he asked, emphasizing the importance of careful decision-making.
Building a True Democracy
Dr. Bako also urged citizens to look to God’s governance model as a basis for structuring their nations. He observed that many prosperous countries were built on a foundational understanding of God’s sovereignty over territories. For him, any governing party with delegated authority must be accountable both to the people and to God. “We have noted that mankind has delegated authority. The authority in heaven and on earth is the Lord’s. Man must use that authority within the confines and boundaries of what the Lord has delegated. Then has to account to his fellow men and to God for the exercise of that authority,” he explained.
He further clarified that democracy truly reflects its purpose only when it aligns with God’s kingdom principles. “That is why democracy is only democracy when practiced according to God’s kingdom patterns. One of the key Greek words for people is ‘demos’ and ‘kratos’ in the Greek word for ruling power derived from God only,” he noted.
In his book, Dr. Bako explores the solemn nature of the covenant between voters and leaders, stressing that God, as a covenant-keeping God, holds nations accountable for their choices. He concluded that the modern tendency to overlook the weight of covenant-making can bring serious repercussions when citizens make uninformed or careless voting choices.
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