A group, Move on Nigeria has alleged plots by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega to help the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the forthcoming elections.
The move, he said, is by trying to deprive parts of the country that would traditionally vote for Jonathan of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Addressing the press yesterday in Lagos, Move On Nigeria’ which is a civil society group promoting democracy and good governance in the country, said the INEC had failed Nigerians in the distribution of PVCs and wants to blindfold Nigerians whose right to vote he seeks to truncate.
National Coordinator of the group, Clement Aguiyi asked Jega why the PVC collection rates in the North Central, South South, South West and South East were much lower with the highest being 57 per cent.
“Why is the North West zone, which includes Katsina (Buhari’s home state) with the highest collection rate of 80 per cent?
“How come the North East also has 75 per cent collection rate when this region includes Boko Haram territory (Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states)?
“Did the internally displaced persons come back there to collect their PVCs?
“And why is it that North Central which includes states like Plateau and Benue that may vote traditionally PDP has a collection rate of 48 per cent when North East and North West have between 75-80 per cent collection rates?” he asked.
Mr Aguiyi said intelligence reports had shown that the PVCs Nigerians were scrambling for were not in the country and would not even arrive before the elections.
He informed that the PVCs were still in China and Prof Jega had strategically delayed their arrival to suit his electioneering permutations.
“Can Prof Jega show Nigerians proof that the Chinese company printing the PVCs has been paid in full by disclosing the total contract sum and the amount paid to date?
“Can Prof Jega show proof of arrival or expected date of arrival of all PVCs for the elections?
“Can Prof Jega tell Nigerians how he plans to distribute 23 million PVCs within the time specified?
“Could this be why Prof Jega has refused to allow citizens use their temporary voter cards despite pleas from the National Assembly and well-meaning Nigerians,” he further asked.
He challenged the INEC chairman to be honourable and publish accurate information on the state of the PVCs.
Aguiyi urged Jega to respond to the allegations of partisanship and ineptitude and vouch to live up to his responsibilities as an independent election umpire or honourably resign if he has become too enmeshed in politics.
“President Jonathan has reformed the electoral process to make each vote count; we therefore urge all Nigerians to insist on collecting their PVCs. We must not be deterred or intimidated by the antics of INEC. We must expose this show of shame”, he said.
He added that Jega’s statements at the Press Conference and the crafty spin he conjured on a genuine concern raised by the National Security Adviser is at best self-serving and did not address the major issue.
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