Saturday, March 28, 2015

What Would You Do If Your Spouse Prevents You From Voting?



Usually, many couples look forward to spending their weekends with their families after a long week at work. Some of them believe they would not have a better time to do such as they spend the rest of the week in their offices. Now that an election is coming up today, SATURDAY PUNCH asked some people what they would do if their spouses ask them to spend time with them rather than go out to vote
I have to exercise my civic rights

Semilore Akinbola

It is important that I play my part in building the future of this country, especially now. If I fail to go and vote, the bright future of Nigeria that I have been clamouring for would not come to fruition. This is the time to make it happen – by my vote. I expect my wife to understand that I have civic rights, which include the right to vote, and do it for whoever I want. She should respect that and not hinder me from voting.

I can’t discuss Nigeria if I don’t vote

Mercy Ihwiwi

My husband is surely the head of the family but that has limitations. In an ideal situation, I expect every man to encourage their spouse to go out and vote for who they want to be their leaders. Doing so, we are securing the future of our children. Talking about my husband, he has to allow me to perform my civic responsibility so that if people are discussing Nigeria anywhere, I would have the boldness to say something because I voted. I cannot talk or complain about our leaders if I don’t vote.

She has to bear with me for that day

Thompson Abolade

We can always have many other Saturdays to spend time together after the elections have come and gone. If she understands the meaning of ‘sacrifice’ for the future, she would not have any problem with me not being with her on that day. As a matter of fact, I expect her to even encourage me to exercise my right to vote as a citizen of Nigeria. I expect her to also go out and vote and let us sacrifice romance at least for that day.

I don’t even have a PVC

Oyinkan Esther

To start with, I do not have the Permanent Voters Card. After many attempts to collect it and I could not, I did not disturb myself again because it occurred to me that some caucuses have already decided the winners and losers of this election whether Nigerians vote or not. This is not right. Our electoral process, including the collection of the PVC, should not be so tedious as this. It makes people like me frustrated. Assuming I got my PVC, I would have gladly loved to vote despite any circumstance.

We’re going to vote together

Adeleke Adekoya

What would she be doing at home while I’m out there to vote on Saturday? I will definitely not allow her to do anything else when people are casting their votes, deciding the future of the country. I will persuade her to also perform her civic responsibility. The election is about her, I and our children’s future, so she has to be prepared to vote with me.

He has to take me along to vote

Ajayi Adesewa

“Anywhere he goes she goes” is the beauty of marriage. So if my husband is voting, I expect him to encourage me to also do even when I don’t feel like doing so. Discouragement comes when people vote and see no results for their voting. I have also been discouraged because all these years that I’ve been doing so, I have not witnessed the kind of transformation I want in this country. Corruption and some other evil deeds are the order of the day, which is not normal. All these have frustrated me. However, if my husband still wants to vote, he can take me along.

I’ll decide based on the situation of things

Oluwafikayo Ajayi



One cannot readily have an answer for this type of question, especially in the face of insecurity and thuggery which had always been associated with our elections in the past. Though I don’t pray for such to happen this time around, if I suspect something like that, I may tell her not to go out. As a man, I can go out to vote while she takes care of the children at home. It’s about protecting my family.

My civic rights prevail over his order

Mary Aborisade



On matters like this, my civic rights prevail over my husband’s order of not going out to vote. It is a man with no understanding that will prevent his wife from voting. My husband is no such and so I believe he would allow me to go and vote. There are many other weekends that we will enjoy together after the elections have come and gone. So I’ll persuade him to stay calm.

There’s no turning back on voting

Mohammed Abba

As for the 2015 elections, especially the presidential one, I cannot miss it. I must register my presence by voting for my candidate of choice. There is no U-turn on this because it has been decided. So, nobody can prevent me from voting, even my wife. Even if my candidate loses, at least I would know that I have played my part. Meanwhile, I do not pray for any incident that would discourage me from voting to occur. For instance, if one’s spouse falls critically ill on that day, there’s no way one would leave her and go to vote. Family comes first before any other thing.

If he insists, I may not vote

Jelilat Oyeronke

A little issue at times could degenerate into something unpalatable, especially when it comes to marriage. That is why as a wife, I have to be very cautious of my actions, even when I know I am right. Perhaps my husband fears that there could be violence during the course of the election, he may ask me to stay indoors. I have to obey him as he is doing his first duty, which is to protect his wife. However, I don’t pray for such to happen. I want to not only witness this election, I want to be a part of it and I hope it would come and go hitch-free.

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