A Legal Practitioner and Former Senatorial Candidate for Anambra South, Barrister Chukwudi Ezeobika has described the exclusion of Igbos from continuous voter registration By Prof. Yakubu Mahmood- Led INEC as reprehensible and discriminatory.
In statement that was made available to the National Update in Abuja on Wednesday he said the failure of INEC to extend and deploy adequate facilities and personnel for registration of eligible voters in the South-East is a calculated attempt by Government to disenfranchise teaming youths from the South-East Region.
“With the ongoing revolutionary quest by the Nigerian youths to completely rid the country of the current crop of recycled, incompetent and corrupt political elites together with their failed promises, the effect of political participation by youths in Nigeria can not be overemphasised.”
He said
Ezeobika pointed out that the deliberate decision by INEC to alienate the South East is bound to exacerbated the already heightened level of insecurity in the South-Eastern geopolitical region of Nigeria
He said the electoral body is not sincere in its efforts at ensuring that Nigerians are given the opportunity to effectively participate in the scheduled 2023 general elections.
This he said is evidenced in the overwhelming number of youths especially those from the South-East region as well as others across the States of the federation who are seen in long queues on a daily basis waiting to register for their Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC).
“This calls to question the capacity and competence of the leadership of INEC as currently constituted, in conducting a free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria come 2023.
He therefore called on the electoral Umpire to reverse the ugly trend and quickly deploy adequate personnel and facilities needed to comprehensively carry out and effectively conclude the ongoing voter registration exercise in the region.
“It is pertinent to state that the current deplorable security situation across the States of the federation occasioned by acute ineptitude and gross incompetence of the Buhari-led APC Government will further escalate if immediate steps are not taken by the Commission to reverse this seemingly unlawful and discriminatory trend.
He said INEC should ensure that all eligible voters in Nigeria especially those from the South-East region are allowed to register and consequently obtain their permanent voter’s cards before the conduct of the scheduled 2023 general elections.
“This right to vote remains an inalienable right to all eligible youths in Nigerian and as such, must not be violated by a democratic institution such as INEC.”