Since the commencement of civil rule in 1999, one of the greatest challenges faced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was the lackadaisical or passive attitude exhibited by Nigerians, particularly the youths, towards the electioneering process. The government, through INEC, had in the past spent resources to organize sensitization workshops, conferences, and moral suasions to elicit the buy-in of the citizenry.
The situation became worse when the electorates had a strong belief that their votes would no longer count as they continued to suspect the collation processes after they have made sacrifices to exercise their franchise on the day of elections.
Another area of grave concern was the non-collection of the permanent voters’ cards by those who had registered with INEC. While so much effort was made by INEC to encourage the voters to ensure they collect their PVCs on time and before any upcoming generation elections, some people felt discouraged going to queue for the sole purpose of collecting their PVCs in INEC offices.
Worse still, some including the very well-read and exposed citizens, who had their voters cards, stayed away from voting on the days of elections. This promoted a high level of cynicism thereby reducing the overall number of those who voted against the total number of permanent voters cards produced or distributed by INEC and collected by the citizens.
Before the general elections in 2015, it was circulated by INEC that a total number of 54,377,747 voter cards representing 78.93% of the total cards produced (68,833,476) were collected. There was, however, a low turn-out of 43.65% during the presidential elections that year. Similarly, in the 2019 presidential elections, the INEC also released 82,344,107 voter cards, out of which 72,775,585 cards, representing 86.3% were collected.
Regrettably, only 28,614,190 electorates, representing 34.75% cast their votes during the presidential elections. This is the lowest turn-out by the voters since 1999, largely due to the high level of insecurity, fear, and lack of confidence against the backdrop of wanton killings, maiming, and destruction of properties in different parts of the country.
Thus far in 2022, the total number of voters registered for the 2023 general elections is reported to have improved to over 96 million. The introduction of online registration at different locations and youths’ determination to actively participate in the forthcoming generation elections, clearly led to the upsurge in this year’s voters’ registration exercise.
According to www.nairametrics.com from the latest data, the youths accounted for 71.4% of the completed registration in the CVR, as 8.78 million out of the 12.29 million completed registrations were done by the youths between the ages of 18 and 34 years”.
With INECs recent introduction and adoption of voter authentication and accreditation system technology, BVAS; driving the Electoral Act (2022 Amended) to enable direct transmission of election results from the polling units to the Commissions Serve at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja and the creation of additional polling units across the country, all have largely reduced the apathy against general elections by the youths, the business moguls and intellectuals in the society.
These steps by INEC are having salutary effects on voters’ perception that the next general elections will be more transparent, reliable, free, and fair. The implication of this, no doubt, will be mass participation and involvement by many more Nigerians in the next generation elections.
Now, who needs to have the Permanent Voters Card (PVC)? And what is the importance of having it? Every Nigerian Citizen, 18 years and above, must have a PVC to vote for or against any candidate who aspires to lead the local government, state, and the country.
The permanent voters’ card is the citizen’s tool in determining who should be saddled with the leadership of the country. The PVC enables effective change to take place in the corridors of power. Every citizen who yearns for a purposeful departure from the norms and expects a paradigm shift, with a view to entrenching qualitative democratic culture that will promote infrastructural development, social cohesion, economic viability, security, equity, justice, and adherence to the rule of law, will appreciate the need for a permanent voters card and use same during the general elections. Hence, earlier philosopher, Plato, submitted that one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.
One of the reasons why the corridors of power in government is replete with leaders with less intellectual capacity and a high level of ineptitude was the apathy created by doubt and uncertainties in 1998 by the military on our road to democratic governance. In the words of Socrates, the wise who refuse to rule should prepare to suffer the role of idiots. By the time it was certain that the military was indeed ready to transfer power to civil rule, it was too late for the more credible, intellectuals with astute leadership skills and more patriotic Nigerians, to be in the saddle.
Ever since, it has been problems with leadership in the management of the abundant natural resources we are endowed with, much more than so many other countries in the world. To that extent, our actions and inactions have largely vindicated George Orwell who said that people who elect corrupt politicians, impostors, thieves, and traitors are not victims but accomplices.
It is however never too late to right the wrong; it is doable! The holy book (Matthew 11:28) said, “come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest”. God further said in Isaiah 1:18 that though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Another golden opportunity beckons in February 2023 and no matter the level of shortcoming, He (God) is willing to forgive and revive us again.
This is far beyond having faith in Him. Our actions will speak louder than our voices; it is not about criticizing or blaming games, but it is about walking the talk. There can never be comfortable in darkness or relief in the cave. We must show forth that Nigeria belongs to us and that we are ready to salvage the economy of the country, and overturn all negative vices that have continued to threaten our peaceful co-existence and her territorial integrity.
We have our individual roles to play to transform Nigeria and restore her as the hope of the black race and giant of Africa in the comity of nations. One such role is to ensure we register, collect our PVCs and use the same to vote for credible candidates who have the competence, leadership skills, and capacity to transform the country from its current ugly state to an enviable one.
Conversely, the PVCs can also be used to vote out ineptitude, divisiveness, religious bigots, and inequality in the leadership of our country. Having gone far the valley, the country urgently needs a leader that has the capacity and tenacity to re-orientate our moral psychic and attitude towards consumption mentality, maintainance culture, and redirect our steps towards a transformation that will engender industrial harmony for sustainable development.
Those who have before now stayed indoors or demonstrate passive and nonchalant attitudes during elections, are encouraged to get ready to vote come 2023 and prove to God that we indeed deserve His intervention to pull Nigeria out of the doldrums.
Great nations build institutions that keep citizens, irrespective of their economic status, aligned religiously with its processes and earn punishment for any infraction. A word, it is often said, is enough for the wise!
Mr. Benedict is a sociopolitical commentator who resides in Abuja.