Some young Nigerians who are clearly against this month’s general elections because of the unavoidable delay in the collection of their Permanent Voter Cards,PVCs, on Monday embarked on a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, demanding for the postponements of the general elections which is expected to start on February 14.
The group that paraded themselves under the umbrella of Forum for Democratic Change,FDC, led by its National coordinator, Solomon Chuks, affirmed that it will amount to serious disenfranchisement if the elections hold as scheduled.
In a protest letter presented by the group to the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, the group insisted that going ahead with the polls will deny many Nigerians their constitutional rights to make the imperative choice of a preferred leader.
“The PVC which is supposed to be one of the instruments of votes has not been fully distributed around Nigeria.
“Those people who actually remain under scorching sun to sign their names for these PVCs have not gotten these things, yet elections are fast approaching,”Chuks said on behalf of the group.
He said the march was to compel INEC to effectively and successfully distribute the items to their legitimate owners before the commencement of the polls, stressing that the election be shifted for a better result.
He said: “I want to correct one impression. This is not a protest. It is a procession to register the grievances of the Nigerian masses as regards the coming election. The Nigerian masses believe that what is worth doing is worth doing well.”
The group had earlier assembled at the Unity Fountain, in Abuja, before they moved to the INEC headquarters, carrying banners and placards that questioned the February’s elections.
Inscriptions such as , “An injustice to one is an injustice to all; “INEC do the right thing”; “We demand for the extension of election to allow Nigerians exercise their franchise”; “Election is for general participation, not for selective few”;Don’t disenfranchise Nigerians” among others were found on the placards.
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