‘Nigerians must register to choose right leaders’

81-year-old lawyer and pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, now a member of the ruling APC, Barrister Kunle Suleiman in this interview, urged Nigerians to turnout en masse to participate fully in the ongoing CVR exercise, insisting that registration remains the only way to install a government of their choice. […]

81-year-old lawyer and pioneer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State, now a member of the ruling APC, Barrister Kunle Suleiman in this interview, urged Nigerians to turnout en masse to participate fully in the ongoing CVR exercise, insisting that registration remains the only way to install a government of their choice.

 

What is your view regarding the ongoing voter registration exercise across the country?

This exercise is a necessity ahead of the 2027 general elections. Many young Nigerians were under 18 during the last election cycle, but now they have attained voting age. At the same time, some voters have passed away during the course of the country’s democratic journey, yet their names still appear on the register. It is therefore  important for the government, through INEC, to update the register so that real and eligible voters are captured. My appeal to Nigerians is simple. They should troop out in large numbers to register. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to vote and you cannot be voted for. Whether you want to change a government or sustain it depending on how you view their programmes and policies, the only effective weapon available in a democracy is your voter’s card. Without registration, you have already surrendered your voice.

 

What do you think INEC and the electorate should do in terms of registration?

They say this is e-registration, so the machines must be made available in sufficient numbers to allow politicians, civil society groups, and community leaders to mobilise people for registration. Beyond that, capturing is also compulsory, and INEC must ensure that those machines for biometric capturing are easily accessible. You cannot expect someone to travel long distances just to capture their data without support. Many ordinary Nigerians will simply lose interest if the process is difficult or if they encounter avoidable lapses caused by poor planning. So, my position is clear, INEC must make the entire process easy and convenient for the people.

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Do you think politicians are doing enough to mobilise people for the exercise?

That depends on which party you are looking at. For our party, I know there is consistent mobilisation and sensitisation of people through radio, town hall meetings, and other forms of community engagements. We emphasise the importance of registration because without it, you cannot participate in deciding who governs you. Associations and groups are also playing their part. I personally have a group called Irewumi that has existed for many years. We have directed our members across the state to mobilise their people and assist them in registering, since the process is electronic. This is part of our contribution to strengthening democracy at the grassroots.

 

There are still complaints, especially about the capturing process, which often requires transport and logistics. How do you view this?

 This is one of the biggest challenges. To get people to the centres where capturing is done, money must sometimes be spent on transportation. If people are left to bear the burden alone, many will not show up. That is why parties, associations, and even well-meaning individuals must step in to support. The truth is that voter registration is not just an INEC responsibility, it is a collective national duty.

 

Some Nigerians believe that votes do not count. Based on their experience. What do say to that?

That is not the truth. From my long experience in politics, I can say confidently that votes do count. It is usually the opposition that claims votes don’t count, while those who win acknowledge that they do. Before an election, those of us on the ground already know the level of support we enjoy in each ward and community. We can often predict the likely outcome because we know the influence of our supporters and the strength of the opposing side. I have been in the opposition before and lost elections. At that time, we and other people around us said votes did not count, but I knew the real story. The truth is that if you have genuine support, it will reflect in the results. So, I dismiss that cliché. It is simply a convenient excuse for losers. Nigerian politics may have its challenges, but the votes are the central factor in determining who wins.

 

There have been concerns on the issue of unclaimed voter cards ahead of the coming election?

This situation is truly worrisome and calls for urgent voter education. Just a few days ago, Kwara State had recorded only about 53,000 fresh registrations, while some other states had reached over 500,000. That shows that a lot of work still needs to be done in our state, no matter what anybody says. Citizens must be encouraged, sensitised, and supported to register and to collect their PVCs. Without the cards, all our efforts become wasted.

 

CVR exercise is better now unlike before, but there have are still complaints; what is your take going forward?

Yes, there has been improvement. In the past, some people were deliberately denied registration because of suspicion that they would vote for the opposition. That created unnecessary bitterness in the system. Now, the process is more open, and that is a positive step. However, more can still be done.

 

Where do you want to see further improvement in the ongoing exercise based on the feedback you are getting?

First, the issue of network failure must be addressed. People should not be disenfranchised because of poor connectivity. Second, the number of machines available is grossly inadequate. You cannot place just two machines in an entire local government and expect everyone to be captured efficiently.

So, my appeal is twofold. INEC should provide more machines and create an easy process that encourages participation, while Nigerians must come out en masse to register. This is the only way to effect the change they desire. We also appeal to INEC not to allow past mistakes to repeat themselves. If they ensure credible elections across the country, then our democracy will continue to deepen, and the people will trust the process.