By; VICTORIA ELEOJO FRANCIS, Kaduna
The leadership of unified Nigerian Youth forum (UNYF), has rejected the extension of the Continuous Voters Registration and validation for additional 60 days.
Expectedly, the UNYF opined that the Continuous Voters Registration and validation should go the way of international standards and best practices by stopping the registration a week or few days to general elections.
Abdulsalam Moh’d Kazeem, President, Unified Nigerian Youth Forum, in a statement said, “As one of the developing Nations, expectedly we should go the way of international standards and best practices, there’s nothing wrong for the registration to stop a week or few days to general elections, but we are aware that we are not ready for such due to some certain factors associated with electoral processes in our nation, the budgetary allocation of INEC is enough reasons for all stakeholders to demand for the best in the above regards.”
The statement explained that if the registration should stop on August 29 as proposed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, over 7.7 millions of their members who would attain the age of 18 by September 3rd and September 25th 2022 will be automatically disenfranchised due to INEC proposed new deadline.
The youths noted that going by the independent National electoral commission (INEC) proposal, the registration would stop by August ending, saying that to them, it shows that many eligible Nigerians will be delebrately disenfranchised and their members inclusive.
It observed that it is unconstitutional, shameful, unacceptable, inlegal and outdated for INEC to proposed closing her portal five (5) months to the general elections in this 21st century, where technology is the new order of the day.
It stated that the Independent National electoral commission attempt closing the Continuous Voters Registration and Validation excercise by August ending calls for serious concern, stressing that the amount allotted for elections periodically and the support they enjoyed has further expose the commission lack of determination to give our nation the best, for instance, over 150 billions is budgeted for 2023 general elections.
The statement said excercise is part of the budget approved for INEC, suggesting that the commission should rather urgently embarked on the expansion of its voters Registration and validation infrastructure to serve the teeming numbers of Nigerians who are patriotic and willing to excercise their civil duties in 2023 than trying to delebrately disenfranchised them by man made factors.
“We as a Forum sincerely hope that independent National electoral commission (INEC) would reconsider extending the Voters Registration and Validation excercise to cover significant numbers of those who are willing but un-able to get their PVC’S till date, due to long queues, corrupt process, lack of availability of enough centres, favourism and late report to duty post by most INEC officials saddles with the tasks,” the statement explained.
The statement added, “History will be fair to only those who stand by the majority, we salute the courage of the Zamfara State Governor for declaring a work free week in this regards and the leadership of the House of representatives who seek for extension of the said excercise for 60 days and was approved today. We equally condemned in totatality the silent of all those who refuses to speak; because they felt the era of ghost voters will affect their victory as usual.”
