Why I’m Happy When Nigerians Complain They’ve Not Got Their Voters Cards – Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan has confessed that each time Nigerians complain that they have not gotten their Permanent Voters Cards from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), he feels happy, but in negative form.
“Talking about the PVC (Permanent Voters Cards), even some governors are complaining that they are yet to get their PVC. If governors are yet to get their voters cards, of course, that means that so many Nigerians are yet to get and people are a bit worried.
“But to me, I’m quite pleased not pleased in the negative sense. The awareness that has come on board that Nigerians want to have their voters cards. Between 2011 no Nigerian will complain about voters card and that’s why when some politicians talk I just laugh.”
President Jonathan made the remarks today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja when he swore in Professor Akinola Murtala Salau as a new commissioner in INEC.
The President noted that Nigerians are getting worried weather INEC can actually elections but thet before 2011 not many Nigerians complained about not having voters card “because elections were not conducted with voters cards. “Nobody cared. We are all adults in Nigeria and we knew what was happening. But some people came on board and sanitized electoral process but others want to take the glory. We have to commend ourselves.”
He said that the fact that today, ordinary Nigerians, biggest business men, religious leaders are complaining that they wanted voters cards is a break hrough, away from 2011 where nobody talked about such thing.
“So people should commend us and I’m please that people are talking about voters cards.”
He ordered INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega who was at the Villa, to make sure that all Nigerians get voters cards, saying that elections cannot be conducted in a situation where some people don’t enjoy their rights to vote. “People must decide who rules them at all levels, not just about presidential elections, (but) at the lowest level of elections conducted by INEC – the state assembly elections, House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency; all Nigerians must vote and INEC must do everything possible to make sure that all Nigerians have their voters cards because we cannot afford a situation where some Nigerians will not vote that day.”
President Jonathan congratulated the new commissioner whom he said is the kind of person the government wants to put in INEC.
“We want people with impeccable character,” he said even as he charged the new commission to go and demonstrate clearly that he is somebody with an impeccable character and that he will do good to all Nigerians, irrespective of anything.
“INEC is suppose to be absolutely neutral in its work to conduct credible election because the whole world is watching at INEC and you are coming into INEC at a very critical time with 40 days to election. So you are coming at a critical time that I believe the chairman who is here himself also needs your services. I believe Professor Jega will even want to double the number of staff if he has the resources to make sure that they can cope.”
Meanwhile, Professor Jega has given an assurance that “every registered Nigerian will get his PVC February 14th God willing.” [myad]