The last time I checked, Nigerians as a people are at the peak of the pre-electioneering era that everyone needed not to be told or reminded that he/she was meant to fasten the seat-belt towards averting any form of carnage.
In every facet of the country, the story isn’t different. One would observe that every dick and harry has inadvertently become perturbed as regards what the next second entails as regards the awaited political ritual.
In all corners within the shores of the country, even in the market arena, the story remains the same. One may ask; what is the story in question? It is nothing but the fact that we are fast approaching yet another set of general elections, which is expected to take place across the federation.
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Constitutionally, in any democratic terrain, elections can never be overridden by anything whatsoever. This implies that such a factor is invariably regarded as supreme by any sane and rational citizen, be it a leader or follower.
In the same vein, traditionally, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that there is a scenario that usually heralds any electioneering period. The preliminary era remains registration for, and collection of, voter’s cards by every eligible citizen of the affected country or state, as the case may be.
But, who is an ‘eligible citizen’ as mentioned above? An eligible citizen in this case is no other than someone who is constitutionally empowered to vote or be voted for. As it is enshrined in the 1999 Nigeria’s Constitution, as amended, any Nigerian citizen who has attained the age of eighteen (18) has the power to cast a vote for any contestant and equally possesses the right to aspire for some certain political positions.
However, it’s equally imperative to note that there’s a tool or device that authorizes any eligible citizen to cast his or her vote at the polls. The device is the voter’s card otherwise known and addressed as Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC). In other words, one without the PVC is not expected to be anywhere near a given polling unit let alone casting a vote for a candidate of his/her choice during elections.
It’s indeed disheartening and mind-boggling that in spite of the high level of awareness so far created by countless civil society groups such as the revered Right Thinkers Movement, among others, thousands of Nigerians are yet to collect, revalidate, or even register for, their PVCs.
One would then wonder how they intend to effect the change they are clamouring for come 2023. It’s not anymore news that most of these Nigerians are at the moment found in various quarters across the country and beyond discussing politics and governance, still virtually all cannot boast of the device that would guarantee them access to cast their votes at the polls. It suffices to assert that such persons have no electoral value. How do you reconcile this?
The news that got to my desk recently has it that several millions of PVCs are yet to be collected from the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) domiciled across Nigeria. Funnily enough, the irony of the anomaly is that most of those uncollected PVCs ostensibly belong to Nigerians who have been hitherto making the greatest noise in regard to the impending elections.
You are unequivocally really deceiving yourself if by now you are yet to collect, or even register for, your PVC, but are deeply involved in the ongoing politicking or political brouhaha within the country. The truth is that you are not only deceiving yourself but perhaps causing untold hardship for your entire generation.
The electoral umpire has in the past kept its offices open even during the weekends to enable everyone, irrespective of his/her nature of work, to go for the collection of their PVCs. But despite all these measures, millions of PVCs are still reportedly lying at the various offices of the INEC. Who is deceiving who?
We are therefore reminded by this notice to, without much ado, walk up to the nearest INEC office in our respective places of residence with a view to ensuring that our PVCs are duly collected. You are equally required to conscientize your relatives or those in your neighbourhood to follow suit.
We need to fully comprehend that the power to usher in a better tomorrow strictly and solely lies in our bare hands. But it’s pathetic that we can never exercise such power if our PVCs are missing in our possession.
Most times I don’t relent in wondering the reason one in his/her right senses would wait until he is compelled before he could wear the zeal to go for his PVC. Is it that we don’t care about the elections or we have given up on the country?
The worst of all is the situation whereby virtually all those who are complaining about bad governance are yet to collect their PVCs and yet not making any effort to acquire such a vital tool that could usher in the change they are clamouring for. Isn’t it a paradox?
Fellow Nigerian, the polls are by the corner, hence no more time to be wasted in respect of responding to this candid and clarion call. No excuse is expected from us if we eventually fail to exercise our civic obligation at our respective polling units by casting our votes where and when need be.
Those whose PVC’s issuance date bears 2011 are required to go to the INEC office for revalidation. If the PVC bearing such date isn’t revalidated, it won’t be valid to cast any vote during the impending elections, because it can’t be read by any electronic card reader.
I know I’ve overtime analyzed this very socio-political lapse. Though it cannot be overemphasized, the truth is that there may not be further opportunity to comment on the anomaly, thus ‘a word is enough for the wise’.