Chairman of the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, has
promised that every eligible Nigerian would be provided with his or her
Permanent Voters’ Card, PVC, before the general elections next month. Continue..
Jega was responding to a request by President Goodluck Jonathan
for INEC to ensure that every Nigerian, who registered to vote was provided
with PVC to enable him or her vote in the elections.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters has
invited the INEC and other stakeholders to deliberate on the country’s
readiness to conduct 2015 general elections.
Jonathan spoke while swearing in a new National INEC
Commissioner representing Oyo State, Prof. Akinola Murtala Salau, saying no
Nigerian should be disenfranchised because of his/her inability to get the PVC.
The President said the level of interest shown by Nigerians from
all walks of life in getting their PVC was an indication that confidence was
being restored in the electoral process.
He said: “Nigerians are getting worried over whether INEC can
actually conduct free and fair elections because of the (scarcity of the) PVC.
Talking about the PVC, even some governors are complaining that they are yet to
obtain their own. If governors are yet to get their voters cards, of course
that means that so many Nigerians are yet to get theirs and people are a bit
worried.
“But to me I am quite pleased, not pleased in the negative
sense, but because of the awareness that has come; that Nigerians want to have
their voters cards.
“Before 2011, no Nigerian complained about voters card and that
is why when some politicians talk, I just laugh. Nobody cared.
“Some people came on board and sanitised the electoral process
but others want to take the glory. We have to commend ourselves, that today
ordinary Nigerians, businessmen, religious leaders are complaining. Nobody
talked about that before 2011. So, people should commend us and I am pleased
that people are talking about voters cards.
“The chairman of INEC luckily is here. All Nigerians must get
their voters cards. We cannot conduct an election where some people will not
have the right to vote.
People must decide who rules them at all levels not just about presidential
elections, at the lowest level of elections conducted by INEC.
“All Nigerians must vote and INEC must do everything possible to
make sure that all Nigerians have their voters card because we cannot have a
situation where some Nigerians will not vote that day.”
INEC should remain absolutely
neutral
He then asked INEC to remain “absolutely neutral” to guarantee a
credible election, adding that only people of impeccable character should work
in the electoral body.
Jonathan stressed that only people of of impeccable character
should work with INEC, adding that the choice of Professor Salau was because of
his pedigree.
He said: “The INEC is supposed to be absolutely neutral in its
work in order to conduct credible election because the whole world is watching INEC. You (Professor Salau)
are coming into INEC at a very critical time with about 40 days to elections.
So you are coming at a critical time and I believe that the chairman needs your
services. I believe Prof. Jega would even want to double the number of staff if
he has the resources, to make sure that they can cope.
Speaking with State House correspondents after the swearing-in,
Professor Jega promised that “every registered Nigerian will get his PVC before
the election, God willing.”
Reps c’ttee invites INEC, other
stakeholders
“The purpose of this event is to underscore the current burning
issues on 2015 general elections and to proffer necessary solutions,” the
notice by the House Committee Chairman, Jerry Manwe stated yesterday.
The invitation notice was dated January 8 and signed by the
acting committee clerk, Barr. Oscar Okoro.
Manwe said that the stakeholder would address: INEC’s level of
preparedness for February’s general election as well as funding, security issues, franchise of internally
displaced persons and other sundry issues arising from concerns by Nigerians.
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