Voters’ registration and the Nigerian experience

A wrong word or wrong move in any part of the country is capable of inciting violence either in the north or in the south. Similar sentiments often trail national exercises, be it census or the recently conducted voters’ exercise. The last voters registration was conducted under the then President Obasanjo’s government in 2002  in […]

A wrong word or wrong move in any part of the country is capable of inciting violence either in the north or in the south. Similar sentiments often trail national exercises, be it census or the recently conducted voters’ exercise.

The last voters registration was conducted under the then President Obasanjo’s government in 2002  in the midst of these same fears and to think that nine years later we have not moved away from this sectional disparities only makes the heart of progress-loving Nigerians mourn.

Places where ethno-religious sentiments are still rife are in Plateau State, Bauchi and Maiduguri and a handful of other northern states.  In the south-south, the wobbling amnesty program gave rise to renewed oil pipeline bombings all in the name of the fight for resource control for the south-south oil producing region.

One will expect that the voters’ registration exercise will motivate Nigerians to positive actions capable of strengthening and further entrenching the roots of democracy, thus reinforcing the very institutions that hold a society like ours together in the comity of nations.

Jos where political and religious wrangling have been going on for a while saw a meagre turn out for the exercise even as further clashes linked directly to the exercise erupted in some parts of the town.

In the south-south region skirmishes during the registration exercise were common occurrences. Youths sponsored by elites prepared to truncate the exercise at gun point by hijacking machines meant to be used for the exercise.

Up north the story is not much different. The killing of an ANPP gubernatorial candidate in Borno did not do the exercise any good. Most residents of the state were left in fear as safety became a big challenge for the state during the exercise.

The south-west is not left out. Weeks before the commencement of the exercise thieves had carted away with a handful of the just imported DDC machines. Whatever perceived inadequacies noticed in this exercise must be seriously taken note of so that a repeat will be avoided.

Come April 2011, it is hoped that the sincerity and diligence shown in this exercise by both INEC and Nigerians in spite of the odds will galvanise the country into taking a giant step at playing politics according to its dictum. One man one vote is the watchword. The world is watching and history beckons.

Peter Adams Racheal, HND 2, Mass Communications dept., Federal Polytechnic, [email protected]