We'll make PVC available to all voters, Jega assures
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan Wednesday directed the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega and his commission to ensure that all eligible voters received their permanent voter's cards. This he said would ensure that no Nigerian of voting age was disenfranchised.
The President gave the directive while swearing a new Federal Electoral Commissioner representing Oyo State, Prof. Akinola Salawu at the Council Chambers, State House shortly before the commencement of the first Federal Executive Council meeting ( FEC) for the year.
The President's directive is coming against the backdrop of unending complaints from all parts of the country about the non-availability of PVC, a situation many fear, could lead to the disenfranchisement of a large number of voting community.
But in responding to the presidential directive, INEC Chairman, Jega, told State House correspondents that all registered eligible voters would get their PVC before the February 14 elections, "by God's grace".
Jonathan remarked that Prof. Salau was coming into the commission at a very critical period in the nation's history, hoping that he would use his vast experience to bring to bear in his new job at the commission.
Charging INEC to ensure credible election, Jonathan said all eyes were on their commission to live up to its reputation. For a start, he called on the commission to ensure that all adults and other people of voting age were availed of their permanent voters' card ( PVC).
According to Jonathan, "INEC is supposed to be absolutely neutral since it is their duty to conduct a credible election because the whole world is watching at INEC and you are coming into INEC at a very critical time with 40 days to election. So you are coming at a critical time that I believe the chairman who is here himself also need your services. I believe Prof. Jega will even want to double the number of staff if he has the resources to make sure that they can cope.
"Because Nigerians are getting worried whether INEC can actually conduct free, fair and credible elections. Talking about the PVC, even some governors are complaining that they are yet to get their PVC. If governors are yet to get their voters cards of course that means that so many Nigerians are yet to get and people are a bit worried.
"Before 2011 how many Nigerians complained about not having voters card because elections were not conducted with voters cards. Nobody cared, we are all adults in nigeria and we know what is happening. But some people came on board and sanitized electoral process but others want to take the glory. We have to commend ourselves.
"That today ordinary Nigerians, biggest business men, religious leaders are complaining I want my voters card, nobody talked about that before 2011. So people should commend us and I'm please that people are talking about voters cards.
"So the chairman of INEC luckily you are here, all Nigerians must get voters cards, we cannot conduct an election where some people will not have the rights 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, the state assembly elections, House of Representatives, Senate and Presidency all Nigerians must vote and INEC must do everything possible to make sure that all Nigerians have their voters card because we cannot a situation where some Nigerians will not vote that day."
Jonathan went further: "Prof. Akinola Murtala Salau deserves to be congratulated by all Nigerians because this is somebody who should have resumed office long ago but because of some issues government stepped it down.
"These are the kind of people we want to put in INEC people with impeccable character. So Prof. We want to charge you to go and demonstrate clearly that you are somebody with an impeccable character and that you will do good to all Nigerians irrespective of anything."
GUARDIAN
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