PVC: Angry Nigerians exchange blows in the PVC registration queue.
There were rumors that registration would be extended until August 2022; however, the Independent National Election Commission has stated unequivocally that the date will remain June 30, 2022, contrary to previous circulating rumors of August 2022.
However, the formerly announced deadline, which has been extended to give many disturbed and disfranchised Nigeria youths and students more time to actively participate in the forthcoming elections, still has a lot of people complaining about the hardship and difficulty they face just to register. This outcry is particularly poignant because many youths and students, who carry the highest population, are more alert than ever and are fighting to get their PVC, which is the only strategy to vote for a candidate of their choice.
From the angle of aggrieved students/youths from the four regions of the country who are currently under strike and have abandoned their livelihood and menial jobs to get their PVC, are complaining and this is the report reaching us nationwide:
From Lagos (Ojodu-Ikeja; Amuwo Odofin, Ojo), Ibadan, Oyo, Niger, and Ogun State there are a lot of complaints about their registration centers.
As we approached the long line, we noticed Miss Rasheedat yelling and ranting about how she had spent three days doing nothing and complaining bitterly about the slow process.
"They only have one machine for thousands of people around the place. How would that work? Seriously, again, I had to leave all I was doing just to be here and just a single machine is working. We need more machines to make everything work faster."
All Campus Show correspondent also encountered Damilola and Uche in Oyo State, disrupting the line and fighting in a queue. We intervened and interviewed Damilola.
"I can’t understand why the online registration closed suddenly." Why should the government expose these people to physical assault, insecurity, and disease (Covid-19 and Monkey pox), which can be easily managed? I don't accept manual processes where crowds gather, not even in Nigeria with the current state of insecurity. To gather crowds. it is less expensive and secure to use online registration. The president said sometime ago that "Nigerian youths are lazy." Who is now too lazy to think this way? Why would he expose people to danger, and unfair stress, at the expense of their wellbeing instead of making everyone stay at home and register peacefully? "
Likewise from the Northern region, Students Union President, Unijos, Comrade Adankala spoke about the current situation in his region. He also lamented on how his people are suffering before registering. His major complaint is that the centers are few and the ones that are available are crowded.
From Nsuka, Enugu, Eastern State, Blessing said she is not going to register again because she has missed work several times and she can't allow PVC registration to cost her job.
Osayi spoke from Benin City, in the southern part of the country, lamented in a similar manner.
"This PVC registration is not encouraging us at all. I think the federal government is intentionally frustrating people. What will it cost them to make things easy? I am not voting for my father or uncle. What do they stand to gain by suffering us like this? "
Speaking to Zino from Niger State, North Central, she said, "I don’t have a PVC. But, I intend to get another here in Suleja, Niger State. I was directed somewhere because I had previously registered in Delta state. Unfortunately, the queue is too long. I can’t cope with it. But I intend to register next week, hopefully."
Also, from the North Central, I have registered," said Promise Ebube, "but again, my fear is that my vote will not count."
With all these reports we are pleading with the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose office acknowledges and protect the right of its populace to vote and who has assertively told students and youth to register and assured them that their votes will count in the approaching elections, to look into this matter and coordinate the registration process. We suggest that the date be extended further to accommodate many unregistered legible voters to exercise their human rights in all sanity and unfreeze the online registration process which was previously preferred and appraised by many.