Ahead of the general elections in February, several prominent Nigerians from various sectors of the society may not cast their votes for any of the candidates currently holding campaigns across the country.
Those who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH either expressed their frustration with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s failure to make available their Permanent Voter Cards or their disillusionment about the current state of the country.
A former Governor of Kaduna State and leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Party, Balarabe Musa, said he might not vote in the coming elections because he had yet to collect his PVC.
“I don’t have my PVC; I have not been given the card. I have been to my polling station six times with the temporary voter card. What that means is that I can’t vote. The same goes for my wife; she has not been able to get her card as well,” Musa lamented.
Also, Professor Pat Utomi, a renowned political economist, has yet to get his PVC and will not likely vote.
“I went there at least twice to get it, so did the rest of my family. But I expect to find time this week to go and shout at them to take it up,” he told one of our correspondents.
Similarly, the eldest son of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Samuel Odulana, Prof. ‘Femi Lana, expressed his frustration at his inability to get his PVC.
“It is unbelievable that at a time when people are eager to vote, INEC is frustrating them, thereby robbing them of their rights to vote. I visited the INEC office several times out of my tight schedule but I could not get the card,” Lana said.
Another Nigerian who may be disenfranchised at the February polls is the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer, Kakanfo Inn and Conference Centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, Mr. Damola Are, because the electoral body has not issued him the PVC.
“They told me that the process had closed, meaning that I will not vote. This is marginalisation and waste of my time. Each of the time I visited the INEC office, I had to fly to Nigeria from the United States and it was not convenient for me. I have done this for the sake of my country but I still can’t vote in February,” Are said.
In the same vein, a Kano State delegate to the 2014 National Conference, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said his participation in the February elections would depend on his ability to get his PVC.
“I will certainly vote if I get my PVC. I have been unable to get round to collecting it but when I do, I will vote. You know nobody will be allowed to vote without one,” Mohammed told one of our correspondents on Saturday.
For the Executive Director of Civil Liberties Organisation, Ibuchukwu Ezike, the story is the same.
He said, “I have been voting in the previous elections, but I may not be voting in the coming elections because INEC has committed a criminal act to deprive me of this franchise because I have yet to be issued my PVC.”
Charles Oputa, aka CharlyBoy, also is without his PVC.
“I am not voting. I don’t even have a Permanent Voter Card. I am hopeful that everything will progress in our country,” Oputa said.
A popular actress, Shan George, also said she would not vote in the elections.
“I don’t have my PVC yet and I am very unhappy that I won’t have the opportunity to vote in the forthcoming elections,” George said.
Similarly, Niger Delta activist, Ms. Annkio Briggs, may not be able to vote. “I have not got the PVC. I don’t know why I have not been able to get it. I registered in a Local government area of Rivers State and some of the councils were not able to deliver (the card). I was even contemplating taking it up personally with the INEC boss.”
However, for the Afrobeat singer and activist, Femi Kuti, his decision not to vote, he said, was an intentional one.
“I will not vote because I do not believe in any of the candidates,” Kuti stated.
culled: http://www.kevindjakporblog.com
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