It is no longer that we want money. Apparently, we are now auditioning for political appointments. I could say the same for you whenever I see you support your candidate. I did not support His excellency Peter Obi in 2023, despite all the brouhaha. And I had my reasons. I was in the PDP, a member of the Atiku Presidential Campaign Council, and I also ran for election in 2022 under the same party. Some of you declared a fatwa on people like me because you failed to force me into abandoning the only political party I had known since I became old enough to vote. Of course, that didn’t work. The Labour Party, the party you destroyed friendships over, has since become defunct because, las las, na the same people. Imagine if I had allowed myself to be cowered due to public opinion. I saw His excellency Mr Peter obi yesterday. He has a perchance for operating as a lone ranger, without adequately co-opting the stakeholders and the people who matter during these dialogues. His team should do themselves a favour and work on their public appearances. One person was wearing a cap that made him look like an Aluta student. His eyes kept darting everywhere, as though he was running from something. These are the people who flank your presidential candidate everyday. It was comical to watch. You must think a presidential race is a joke. Politics is not activism. This is real business. Even if the Waziri of Adamawa and His excellency, pres .Tinubu were not on the ballot, I still will not choose Mr Peter Obi. No amount of emotional blackmail, will make me change my stance. And I do not need to posture for anybody. There is something called the power of choice. You get to choose. And I choose not to. And guess what? I will sleep soundly at night. You have no respect for other people's candidates. You demean, insult and tear them down, yet somehow expect me to respect yours and agree with everything he does simply because you have anointed him your messiah. Who told you that? Some of you are dense. I don't remember Anambra turning into Dubai under his leadership. Globally, the economy is dealing with everyone, although some people are bearing the brunt more than others. Still, I refuse to be someone who constantly demarkets Nigeria. Your candidate, who struggles with communication skills, does enough of that himself every single time he opens his mouth. Nigeria will be fine. Regardless of our imperfect circumstances, I choose to keep faith while demanding accountability where it matters. This government has many credible policies. Yes, it also got some things wrong. But we are a work in progress. And there's no perfect system. I will continue to keep faith. Finally, if you're here thinking that I need you to like me, then there is something horribly wrong with your stupefied brain. The day I start needing validation from Facebook people who have no bearing on my past, present or future will be the day I k1ll myself. So what makes you think that you, a faceless member of a mob hiding behind a keypad, matter to someone like me? You have left no footprints to show how you have contributed to changing the world, for good or bad. Yet you presume to lecture me, someone who has spent her entire life working in spaces your mothers and wives wouldn't even dare to enter...in spaces where you would be expected to kneel as a man. I have spent my entire life standing on my feet, holding sway and trusting the process of my journey...surviving things that would've drowned many. Who are you again? In this election, I have made my choice. And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it except rant. So rant away, while I donate more buckets for your tears. Freedom of choice is one of the pillars to democracy. Remember that! ~~ VIVIAN EMESARAONY