From 3rd place, with only Lagos and Kano ahead of it as the states with the highest number of voter registration in 2019, Kaduna State has dropped to 15th position, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently said, raising alarm that has startled religious and community leaders in the state.
Daily Trust reports that since the announcement, members of Muslim and Christian communities have swung into action to increase sensitization. Directives have been given to imams and pastors to sensitize their congregations during religious activities on the need to get registered for the 2023 elections.
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Speaking on why Kaduna State is lagging in new registrants, INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kaduna, Dr. Asmau Sani Maikudi, said insecurity and inadequate sensitization were among factors militating against voter turnout.
While seeking the collaboration of Ulamas and other Muslim leaders on the need to participate in the Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) in the state, Dr. Maikudi said INEC began voter’s registration in June 2021, adding that having completed the first and second quarters, it was now in the third quarter but was not impressed by the turn out in the state.
However, our correspondent gathered that apart from insecurity and poor sensitization, there appears to be apathy among new registrants who have expressed nonchalant attitude to the election process.
Mustapha Ibrahim who turned 18 years in 2021 and is yet to register for his PVC said he has no interest in Nigerian politics or who becomes the president.
Also speaking with our correspondent, Hannatu Abdullahi described all politicians as sham, adding that Nigerians are more worried by security and economic hardship.
Hannatu, who turned 18 in January 2022 said: “The ones that have been voted into power, what have they done? Whether we get the PVC or not it is will be tied down to who has perfected the rigging mechanism. So, our PVC does not matter.”
On his part, Hassan Usman who fled his community in Unguwar Zalla and is taking refuge in Udawa town of Chikun LGA said he lost his PVC after gunmen invaded their community earlier in the year.
Speaking with our correspondent, a community leader from Udawa, Muhammadu Umaru said people in several villages who have fled to Udawa are not enthusiastic about the election even though community leaders, keep trying to sensitize them on their civic responsibility.
“The people are bitter because of the insecurity and they are not receiving assistance from those they voted into power,” he said.
He said it has become difficult to get people from areas ravaged by insecurity to register even though as community leaders, they try to remind them that they can use their PVC’s to change any politician who performs poorly.
“About 20 villages have now converged in Udawa. That tells you that there will be at least 20 ballot boxes here and so we need INEC to train our youths on the registration so that they can register us since INEC is unable to visit our communities,” Umaru said.
However, since INEC raised the alarm, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kaduna has given directives to various pastors to roll out sensitization strategies.
CAN Chairman in Kaduna, Rev John Hayab, said the group was worried about the poor turnout and had promptly arranged a meeting with pastors.
“The only agenda for that meeting was voter’s registration. We educated them on the little information we had at our disposal and asked them to go and sensitize people,” Hayab said.
“I went to Southern Kaduna and invited five representatives of CAN from the eight LGA’s that make up the zone and the subject of discussion was PVC and so we have already swung into action and we are encouraging people to come out.
“People expressed concern because they believe that those who are voted into office do not care but we told them no, let us just have our voters’ card even if the people there are not doing well, even if they will rig election,” he said.
On its part, the Kaduna State Council of Ulama told Daily Trust that even though it has increased sensitization in various mosques during daily and Friday prayers, there was a lot INEC needs to do to ensure flexibility of the process.
The Secretary General of the Council in Kaduna, Dr Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyyu, said the council had noticed that there are difficulties in the process that could discourage prospective registrants.
“When somebody generates the data, he has to go for thumb printing and it is far. People are looking for money to feed themselves and now you are telling them to transport themselves to get registered,” he said,
He said the local government chairmen need to step in by providing the means of bringing the registration closer to the people.
“INEC themselves need to make more machines available so that people can find it easy when they (INEC) come to their wards,” he said.
