TO ensure that eligible voters are not disenfranchised during the forthcoming general elections, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to urgently address bottlenecks so far witnessed in the on going voters' registration exercise.
Briefing journalists on some national issues yesterday in Abuja, ANPP National Chairman, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu who noted that voters' registration is a very important aspect of the electoral process, said there can be no free, fair and credible election without a credible voters' register.
"We at the ANPP are very interested in the ongoing voters' registration exercise because it is a very important aspect of the electoral process, there can be no free, fair and credible election without a credible voters' register. We are aware that the registration has commenced slowly with little hiccups but we hope that INEC will improve with time," he said.
The ANPP chairman who lauded the recent move by the Federal Government to establish nine new universities, called for injection of more funds into the education sector as well as create a suitable environment to attract investment into the higher education sector. Stating that improved higher education is a very important instrument for sustainable national development, Onu said without a functional education system, sustainable development cannot be achieved.
Onu said: "We do not want a situation where the establishment of new universities would end up in the diversion of resources away from adequately maintaining existing ones. So far, the Federal Government has not made any very serious effort to rebuild its universities to even meet the standards of the poor.
The sad effect of this situation is that no Nigerian university is ranked among the best in the world. This is a sharp contrast to what we had in the 1970s when Nigerian universities were ranked among the best in both the Commonwealth of Nations and indeed, in the world".
The ANPP chairman stressed that efficient university system can generate innovation and produce the entrepreneurs needed to boost productivity, improve economy, create jobs and improve the living standard of the people.
Governor Sheriff of Borno State who expressed worry over the delays and hitches encountered in the on-going voters' registration exercise, said many eligible voters may be disenfranchised if urgent steps are not taken to tackle the situation. The fear, according to him, is on the faulty Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines and the failure of some of the machines to capture voters' fingerprints.
The Guardian learnt that out the 10 local councils in northern part of Borno State, six are yet to receive their DDC machines for the registration exercise.
Sheriff urged INEC to extend the registration exercise in his Ngala hometown, 186 kilometres North of Maiduguri, the state capital. The governor was the 147th citizen to register for his voting card.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Prof. Tukur Sa'ad, however, allayed the fears of the governor over the dis-enfranchisement of voters. He said all the faulty machines were being upgraded to the 1.8 version, stating that the machines can now print and scan fingers at the 3,928 registration centres in the state.
On the non-delivery of DDC machines in some local councils, he said: "As I brief you on the inability of some council areas to commence the voters' registration exercise, the DDC machines are on their way from Abuja to be delivered to the affected areas."
Meanwhile, the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu has urged Nigerians to be patient with the INEC on the challenges facing the ongoing voters' registration exercise across the country.
Ekweremadu made the call while monitoring the registration exercise in Enugu West senatorial zone where he also thanked PDP delegates across the five local councils in the zone for their support for him during the recent party primaries.
The Senator who also registered alongside his wife, Nwanneka, at Amachalla Mpu registration centre, appealed to the people to ignore all the challenges being experienced at the various registration centres and endeavour to get the voter's card.
He told the people that their votes constitute their power, stressing that "registering is not just a civic right, but a fundamental way to build a better and stronger Nigeria, by voting in the right candidates."
"In April, there will be an election. If you do not register, you will not vote. So make sure that you not only register but you mobilise others to register. Your vote is your power. The power to contribute in building a stronger Nigeria," the lawmaker said.
ANPP, others urge action on voters' registration hitches (http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=35955:anpp-others-urge-action-on-voters-registration-hitches&catid=1:national&Itemid=559)