INEC Begins 2015 Electoral Plan In Rivers …Jega Worries Over Insecurity, Politicians’ Attitude

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State has said that it will kick-off its 2015 election activities with the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) in the 4,442 polling units in the state from November 7 to 9, 2014
A statement by the Head, Protocol and Publicity of the commission, Anthonia Nwobi said from November 13-17, 2014, INEC will carry out Continuous Voters Registration (CVR) exercise in the 319 registration wards in the state, and 205 polling units that recorded below 50 voters in the last registration.
She said INEC Permanent Voter Cards will commence on November 7, 2014 in the 4,442 polling units in the state and urged registered voters to visit the polling units where they previously registered with their temporary voters cards in order to ascertain their registration status and collect their permanent voters cards.
INEC called on persons whose data were appropriately captured during the 2011 registration exercise to handover their TVCs at the polling units in accordance with set procedures.
Those with defective data for which their’s have not been produced will be opportuned to re-register during the continuous voters registration that holds immediately after the distribution of PVCs from November 13-17, 2014.
According to the statement, uncollected PVCs at the polling units will be taken to the INEC Local Government Area offices for subsequent distribution, adding that local government distribution would be stopped at a date to be announced by the commission.
The CVR exercise is for persons who turned 18 years after the registration exercise in 2011, persons who did not present themselves for registration during the last registration exercise in 2011 and persons with temporary voters cards who did not see their names on the voters register displayed at the  polling units during the distribution of PVCs period of November 7-9, 2014, the statement added.
It however advised voters to register only once as double registration is an offence punishable by law. INEC said voters wishing to transfer their registration data from where they previously registered should seek the advice of electoral officers in their area, while those that have lost their temporary voters cards should go with approved identity cards such as  Drivers License, International Passport or National Identity card as proof of identity and still appear in person if they do not have any of those identification documents.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday spoke about his fears for next year’s general election in the country.
The INEC chief said he was bothered by heightening insecurity and the unruly attitude of politicians which constitute major challenges to peaceful elections next year.
Jega, who said the security problem was more evident in the three troubled North eastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, stated that his greatest fear for the 2015 elections was making politicians to play by the rules.
“The attitude of the political class is the greatest challenge. They want to intimidate, harass and induce.
“Security is also a challenge. ýEspecially in the three states in Northeast. We cannot put our men and resources at risk. But we are holding inter-agencies security meetings frequently,” Jega said.
The INEC chairman spoke in Abuja yesterday at a national stakeholders’ forum on elections organized by the Civil Society Situation Room on Achieving the Implementation of Credible 2015 general elections.
He said investigation conducted by the commission showed that youth corps members who were compromised were threatened by politicians to either collect gratification or be killed.
Jega urged politicians to play by the rules of the game during the 2015 elections.
He said the commission has identified and blocked many of the loopholes exploited in the past by politicians to rig elections.
“I am confident that 2015 will be better operationally and logistically,” Jega said.
He added that a better voter register has been produced and that all ballot boxes were being numbered serially. This, he said was not so when he was appointed in 2010.
He spoke of other efforts being made by INEC under his leadership.
The Bishop of Sokoto Diocese of ýCatholic Church, Rev. Father Mathew Hassan Kukah, cautioned President Goodluck Jonathan and governors of the 36 states against imposing candidates on the people.
He said such practice would heat up the polity and frustrate elections’ results.

Collins Barasimeye

Total, Manager Enterprise Development, Philippe Desriac (right) chatting with member, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Rivers/Bayelsa States, Chief Nabil Saleh, during the 30th annual general meeting of MAN in Port Harcourt