Prominent Nigerians who may not vote

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.
An ex-Super Eagles player, Taribo
West, also said he had no intention
of voting in the elections.
“I didn’t apply for the PVC. I am not
a politician and I don’t like getting
involved in politics. I will be at
home praying for peace in the
country,” he told SUNDAY PUNCH.

We are just no there yet.

stainlez wrote:

We are just no there yet.

Hope election day is not going to be postpone coz of PVC that is yet to circulate ?.