Jega
Following the controversy over the insistence of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega to use only Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVC, and electronic card readers in the forthcoming general elections, a group, Middle Belt Concerned Youths, has told Nigerians to hold Jega responsible for any crisis arising from the polls.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by Yunusa Ahmadu Yusuf, Secretary General FCT chapter of the group, they said the electoral body must be up to some mischief by plotting to disenfranchise Nigerians that were denied the PVCs from participating in the election.
“Judging from the persistent adamant stance of the Independent National Electoral Commission to go ahead with the use of the Permanent Voters Card and electronic card readers in the forthcoming general elections, it is pretty obvious that the electoral body is up to some mischief, which is a prelude to setting the nation on fire.
“It is on this note that we wish to alert Nigerians that should this insistence on using both instruments, which has generated wide-spread outrage from a broad spectrum of the Nigerian public, precipitates any form of crisis, then Prof. Attahiru Jega should be held responsible”.
Continuing he said, “in as much as we appreciate the steadfastness and enormous innovations institutionalised by INEC to bequeath free and fair elections to the nation, it is still the contention of majority of Nigerians that such efforts must not be sacrificed on the altar of a foolhardy insistence of proceeding with the use of PVCs, instead of the Temporary Voters Cards, TVCs, and the Card Readers, despite the glaring imperfections inherent them.
“Insisting on using them for the elections will only end up disenfranchising a huge segment of Nigeria’s voting population.
“We frown at this orchestrated plot to disenfranchise a high preponderance of eligible Nigerian voters by INEC as epitomised in its determination to go ahead with the use of PVCs and Card Readers regardless of the genuine concerns expressed by relevant stakeholders in the polity, a development that is likely to compromise the integrity of the elections.
“We also went further to say that unlike the TVCs, which are easy to obtain and use during elections, PVCs are a bit technically-complicated for an average rural dweller. Instead of this straight-jacketed insistence of using PVCs and Card Readers, INEC should rather be thinking of fashioning out alternative measures of ensuring the success of the elections that will not only be acceptable to Nigerians, but also be able meet international standards.
“As a patriotic body, we feel seriously scandalised that in spite of the precarious security situation in the country, which requires the genuine support of all peace-loving Nigerians to tackle, Prof. Jega seems to be thinking in the opposite direction, probably acting in concert or operating on the same page with enemies of Nigeria. This calls for serious concern from all Nigerians, especially lovers of democracy and believers in the survivability of the Nigerian project”.
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