Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) – an umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, Tanko Yunusa, led his members to a meeting with the INEC chairman in Abuja last Tuesday. The pro-democracy activist and National Chairman of NCP spoke to Assistant Editor, CHUKS EHIRIM on issues bordering on the coming general elections.
Meeting with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, and the call for the postponement of the February elections
As far as we are concerned, the INEC chairman did not even raise the matter with us. If he had raised the issue, which is a national issue, people would have responded to it. But in the hall, majority of the people did not subscribe to shifting the election because of the fact that people had committed so much resources to the process. Any attempt to do that would have been construed to mean a definite shift.
At least, in Nigeria today, that is the perception. So in order not to put the country aflame, it is good to maintain the status quo as being done by INEC. That was the stand majority of the people in the hall would have taken. So it was not an issue for discussion, as INEC did not consider raising it as part of the agenda of the meeting worth the while. The major issue that concerned all of us was the Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). Our concern is that every registered voter has that PVC. About 42 million PVCs have been distributed and 3.4 million still expected.
It is only collection that is remaining. There is a difference between production and the issue of collection and distribution. These are the three major things. From the statistics that INEC has given us, which is a printed copy, 32 million have already been distributed and 3.4, which have already been produced, remaining. A far as they are concerned, by January 30 (last Friday), the 3.4 would have been available for distribution to the Nigerian public.
Many people have been going out to look for these PVCs, but they have not been able to get them. These include even prominent Nigerians who must have been captured in the continued voter register. What this means is that they need to provide these 3.4 million cards and get them out to the public.
We, therefore, suggested that, maybe we need three-day public holiday, to ensure that distribution gets to the distribution points at the ward level and all, making it public.
INEC should find time to keep informing the public about the level of collection. They have 68.8 million registered voters. And at least, if we continuously publicise the level of collection, it will build confidence and trust that, yes, these PVCs are being collected and that INEC is ready for the election.
You suggested that, at least, three days public holidays should be declared.
Yes, national holidays should be given. The suggestion was made to the federal government. This is a national issue that concerns everybody.
Did you ask INEC to demand that?
No, we demanded it. The political parties have asked the federal government to declare three days public holiday.
Have you done that formally?
We have not done so formally, but we made the call for it, which l have continuously been making for the past one month or more. We need the public holiday, knowing the exigency of the demand for this PVC. We thought it could help INEC and we could also do our own bit. We have mapped out plans on how to go to the six geo-political zones to educate voters on how they can get the PVC and the issue of running away from violence. This too is very important to us. We already have a committee in place that has been monitoring campaigns.
This time around, we don’t want to only rely on moral suasion. We are ready to initiate court actions against errant members with regard to the issue of violence or members. The PDP has complained that the vehicles of its presidential candidate are being burnt, the FCT Minister was pelted with sachet water in Bauchi. The APC had its own challenge where its River State office was burnt.
For my party, the NCP (National Conscience Party), one of our candidates is incarcerated in Bayelsa State. The SDP (Social Democratic Party) experienced violence in Oyo State. The PPA (Progressive Peoples Alliance) also has its own challenges, and more like that. So we are taking it a step ahead to seek punishment that could deter others from doing the same thing.
INEC’s call for a special court to try electoral offenders
Yes, of course; we are in full agreement with that demand by INEC because if we don’t position ourselves to punish those who have erred in this regard, the impunity level will continue to increase and people will continue to do the same thing all over. We really need to curb it now that it is in the periphery because we don’t know how it is going to escalate if it continues unabated in this regard.
Taking PVCs back to polling units
The issue being canvassed in that respect is that INEC is saying it doesn’t have enough resources to repeat that particular process of going back to the polling units. But l think it would have been the best thing. There is no amount that would be too much for us to spend in ensuring that we get this election right. We believe that the National Assembly has to appropriate more funds for INEC; but because of time, this may not be possible. However, we have to find a way of giving the INEC more money, to ensure that the distribution of the remaining PVCs takes place because it is very crucial for the success of this election.
INEC contradicting self on fund profile
You know, every of the funds has its own tag on it. What they need now is an additional fund because this is an additional exercise. So, definitely, they will need more money because all other monies must have been assigned to things they were used for. So I think, for this period, for them to have another round of distribution of the PVCs at the polling stations, more money has to be given to INEC. That is why they are using other mechanisms to ask for more money.
