A lot of issues have been trailing the issuance of the Permanent Voter Cards by the Independent Electoral Commission for next month’s general election. Some of the states especially in the South have accused INEC of failing to distribute the PVCs of registered voters in those states. As of the first week of January 2015, the chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega, stated that so far 38 million PVCs had been distributed across the country. He claimed that there were 15 million PVCs yet to be distributed. But this claim does not add up with the fact that there are 70 million registered eligible voters across the country. We would not be wrong to ascertain that there is a shortfall in the circulation of the 32 million PVCs nationwide. This also betrays the President’s promise in his campaign inauguration in Lagos, where he stated that he would ensure that 100 per cent of Nigerians vote next month. Following current realities plaguing the distribution of the PVCs, President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise can be regarded as the usual rhetoric fed to the citizens. How can 100 per cent of Nigerians vote, when three weeks to the elections not all eligible voters have their PVCs? If what is reported in the media is anything to go by, the President’s promise is almost as empty as the account of INEC. Reports have it that INEC has a shortfall of N35bn and this has affected the distribution of the PVCs. Rather than concentrate on how to empower INEC financially to conduct credible elections, we are still been fed with promises that are not realisable even at this stage of political transition. Campaigns are ongoing across the states and each of the candidates is making so much noise about what they intend to do if elected or re-elected, without being concerned that the people they are addressing do not have their voter cards. How then do the electorate exercise their franchise when there is a scarcity of the PVCs? There are lots of eligible voters who would be disenfranchised in the forthcoming elections as a result of the non-allocation of their PVCs. Unfortunately, some of the people who have got theirs cannot vote because the location where they did their registration is different from where they currently reside. It is also ridiculous that some of the people who jostle to get their PVCs have different reasons why they seek the cards. The following unfortunate remark is among the various expressions of those who are fortunate to get their cards: “Now that I have my Permanent Voter Card, I can boldly negotiate with politicians who need my votes”. This category of voters falls into those who see the possession of voter cards as an opportunity to make merchandise. Also, because they regard the voter cards as a profit making venture, in their state of ignorance, they must have registered in different locations with different identities, hoping to collect as much money as the buyers are willing to provide. Another common comment you hear on the street is: “I collected my Permanent Voter Card so that I can have a means of identification for bank and other official transactions”. This category of voters should not be counted amongst the 35 million Nigerians with the PVCs that would come out and vote during elections because as far as they are concerned, the card is meant to further boost their means of identity. Reports also have it that some state governments have threatened those intending to work in the state civil service, that without their PVCs, the doors of employment will be shut against them. In the case where people obtain the PVC because it is a statutory requirement of the state, we don’t also expect most of them to turn out during the elections. However, the aspiration of the citizens to get their voter cards is not only noble, it is also a matter of rights, irrespective of what they choose to do with it. But, the concern is that the more the number of people who have their PVCs, the greater the assurance that there would be more turnout of eligible voters. The issuance of voter cards or other forms of identification is not meant to be periodic but rather a continuous exercise. INEC began the process of the Continuous Voter Registration at the second quarter of last year in designated polling centres; even at that, a lot of people could not register let alone get their Permanent Voter Cards. It is expected that even after elections, INEC office should open on a daily basis for people to walk in and register for their voter cards. This also warrants us to question the rationale behind the “vote where you register policy”. This policy on its own is responsible for the poor voting figures we get at the end of the polls. Human beings are mobile in nature; and as a result, they are bound to relocate at any given time. It is therefore almost impossible for people who registered in their villages to travel back to vote during presidential elections. For Nigeria to have credible elections, INEC should in consultations with stakeholders set up an effective timetable which would serve as its template for effective planning of the entire process of elections. This planning should commence years before the elections. With adequate time plans, it would create room for INEC to set up mechanisms that would be able to detect double registration, forestall the disenfranchisement of citizens in future, by early issuance of PVCs. Also, the policy of “vote where you register” should be reviewed at least for the sake of presidential elections. INEC should set up desk officers in all its locations to be responsible for the registration and continual issuance of voter cards. This should be institutionalised as a department in INEC, so that issuance of the PVCs becomes a routine rather than a periodic exercise. Also, the annual statutory transfer to INEC should be structured annually to cater to the logistics that will promote preparations for credible elections in view of the speculated election period.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 23:23:49 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015