With the general elections in Nigeria a few months away, many citizens are still apprehensive about the success of the election, especially with the security challenges still staring the country in the face.
Greenbarge Reporters went to town across the country to hear what Nigerians have to say about the elections. Callistus Emmanuel, a civil servant in Enugu said that he has no quarrel with INEC preparations for the 2015 elections, especially with the openness being displayed by its chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.
According to him, INEC has so far been following the electoral programme it drew up “and wherever there are changes, the chairman would always come out to explain to Nigerians.”
Dr. Abdulrahman Adeiza, President of Ebira Peoples Association in Kogi Central Senatorial District, said that the hope he has about the possible success of 2015 polls is that INEC has continually been correcting mistakes in the electoral processes as the nation approaches the general elections in 2015. He advised the electoral body to open its ears to listen to genuine complaints from all quarters and addressing such complaints.
Mrs. Hajara N. Y, a Matron in one the hospitals in the nation’s Federal Capital Territory, said that
One of the INEC’s challenges has been the issuance of Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). She said that a lot of Nigerians who moved from one state to the other after the registration a couple of years ago are now being asked to go and collect their PVC from the original states where they registered. She sees this as a recipe for disenfranchising those Nigerian because, according to her, even if they can go and collect their PVCs, would they be expected to also travel again to those states to cast their votes in 2015? She advised that since the registration information was supposed to have been fed into centralized system, INEC should find ways of capturing such voters anywhere in the country with a view to issuing them the PVC.
“This is the only observation I have and it is very serious. I don’t actually know the level of INEC preparations on a ageneral note.”
Stephen Adebayo of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) commended the preparations for the 2015 elections so far, but noted that the biggest challenge now is that less than 50 percent Nigerian voters have not been able to get their Permanent Voters Cards.
According to him, if INEC bungle this part of the important aspect of the electoral process, many politicians who will contest election will feel cheated because most of their supporters, in one way or the other don’t have PVC.
“I am calling on INEC to address this issue properly and if possible, extend the date for people to sort out themselves, so that at least, no fewer than 65 percent Nigerians who are qualified to vote would obtain their voter’s cards.”
Moses Tom, in Benue state said that the complaints that had trailed the recent concluded issuance of the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) should not be taken lightly. According to him, voters’ names have been reported missing, and many eligible voters’ not successfully captured in the continuous voters’ registration across the country, making him to doubt if trully INEC is ready for the poll.
Saheed Biodun in Lagos said: ” From the look of things, I am not convinced that INEC is prepared for the 2015 general elections. How can they say they are prepared when many voters’ can’t have their PVC’s, and others that are eligible cannot also register to vote? Then, what are we saying? ”
In her own response, Adeseun Bunmi in Ibadan queried: ” What preparation are you talking about? When it was reported that many voters’ can’t get their PVCs including myself. You cannot build something on nothing.”
Other respondents shared the opinion that with eleven weeks to the poll, intensive voter’s education ought to have commence on a large scale by the umpire body, aimed at equipping the electorates of detailed knowledge on the election.
They noted that, for a successful election which INEC had always assured Nigerians of, the electorates needed to be adequately sensitized and informed on roles expected of them, and on what are against the law they shouldn’t engage themselves during the election period.
Danladi Usman in Kaduna said: “the preparation of the electoral body for the upcoming poll is not encouraging at all. If election is already here as we currently have it, is it not enough for them to have started the election education or what do they call it. Or, will they be starting when campaigns have already occupied the media? ”
Ariyo Ola in Ekiti state posited that INEC has not done enough to prove to the electorate that it is prepared to conduct the 2015 elections, otherwise, it would have commenced massive sensitization of the voters.
“Now is when it is needed most. If INEC fails to do its job of sensitizing the electorate against violence, as some politicians are threatening, then, I fear the 2015 elections may fail.” [myad]
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