A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Ighoyota Amori, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission to further simplify the process of registration and collection of the Permanent Voter Card.
Amori, who is the Political Adviser to the National Chairman of PDP, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.
He decried the stress eligible persons were subjected to at registration centres, saying it was one of the factors responsible for the high number of voter cards yet to be collected.
Amori said that something must be done urgently by INEC to simplify the process of registration and collection of PVCs.
He said: “We have experienced it and there have being complaints on the media that you will go there from morning to night and you will not be registered.
“You go today, tomorrow, and next tomorrow you cannot be registered. Even INEC officials are thinking they are doing you a favour.’’
Amori said although the commission had limited resources, something must be done to address the issue of distance between the people and registration centres.
He said: “For example, you have Data Capturing Machines at the headquarters of a local government, and the distance between a village and the local government headquarters is up to 20 or 50 kilometres.
“If you go there the first and second time and you are still unable to register, will you not say that INEC is not serious and you will be discouraged from making another attempt.
“INEC may not have the required resources but I think if they mean it, they must devise a means where you can work into a registration centre, register within five to 10 minutes.’’
The senator also called for a situation where people could register and vote in any part of the country.
Amori said in developed climes, the days of voting are never declared public holiday, people will just vote and go back to their offices.
He said: “Here you will declare public holiday and restriction of vehicular movement; you are killing the economy of the country.
“INEC should devise means where you can register at your comfort without stress, because people turn 18 every day.
“They can have a centralised registration centre in banks or schools. Let there be a system where when you turn 18 you walk into any designated centre, register and get your PVC.’’
Amori also advised the commission to ensure that it truly remains an independent umpire that would be just and fair to all at all times.
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