By Olukayode Michael, Maiduguri
The rescheduling of the 2019 presidential and national assembly elections was a good omen for the State and we as candidates.
A statement by Premium Times on February 15, 2019 credited to the Borno State INEC resident electoral commissioner that about 409,000 internally displaced persons are absurd and fabricated lies . It is a ploy to rig the 2019 elections in favour of the ruling party APC. It is on record that only 515,008 casted their votes during the 2015 Presidential election . Invariably the REC is now telling us that virtually 75% of people that voted were IDPs or the increase of about 400,000 from the total number of registered voters of 1,934,079 were IDPs ? Display of voters register isn’t enough .We must know the number of registered voters issued with PVC in all the local governments, wards and, polling units. It is equally worrying to note that the cost and risk of sending our party Agents to these locations may not augur well for us.
The INEC resident electoral commissioner is supposed to publish the number of registered voters in the State and local governments, wards, units as well as the number of registered voters that were issued permanent voters card (PVC) before conducting any election . As it is now we don’t know the number of registered voters and the number of registered voters issued with PVC in local governments, wards and polling units. Invariably we are participating in an election in abstract.
In view of the foregoing we categorically wish to state that we are repugnant to the relocation arrangement and non publication of number of registered voters issued with PVC. Accordingly we have no confidence on the umpire in conducting a free and fair elections in Borno State.
We therefore call on the Resident Electorate Commissioner of Borno State to as a matter of urgency to immediately direct the State government to bring back the IDPS to cast their votes here in Maiduguri as well as publish the list of registered voters and the number of registered voters issued with PVC in all the local governments wards, and polling units or else we will be left with no option than to withdraw from participating in the election .
