Ref: Intersociety/001/01/015/Foreign
Missions/ABJ/NG
1. The United Nations Secretary
General
C/O The UN Special Representative in Nigeria
The UN
House, 617/618 Diplomatic Zone
Central Business
District, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria
2. The Apostolic Nuncio (Pope’s
Ambassador to Nigeria)
Vatican
Apostolic Nunciature in Nigeria
Pope John
Paul Crescent, Maitama
FCT,
Abuja, Nigeria
3. The United States Ambassador to
Nigeria
Embassy of
the United States, Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive
Central
District Area, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
4. The Head, Delegation of the
European Union to Nigeria & ECOWAS
Europe
House, 21st Crescent, Off Constitution Avenue
Central
Business District, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria
5. The British High Commissioner to
Nigeria
The
British High Commission, 11, Torrrens Street, Off Mississippi Street
Maitama,
FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
6. The Ambassador of the Federal
Republic of Germany to Nigeria
Embassy of
Germany, 9, Lake Maracaibo Close
Maitama,
FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
7. The Canadian High Commissioner to
Nigeria
The
Canadian High Commission
15,
Bobo Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
8. The Ambassador of the Republic of
France to Nigeria
The Embassy
of France, 7, Udi Hills Street
Off Aso
Drive, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
9. The Brazilian Ambassador to
Nigeria
Brazilian
Embassy, 324, Diplomatic Drive
Central
Business District, Garki, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
10. The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria
Embassy of
Japan, 9, Bobo Street
Off Gana
Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
11. The Australian High Commissioner
to Nigeria
The
Australian High Commission, Fifth Floor, Auckland Center
48, Aguiyi
Ironsi Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
12. The Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria
The
Embassy of China, 302/303 A.O. Street
Central
Business District, Garki, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
13. The Indian High Commissioner to
Nigeria
The High
Commission of India, 15, Rio Negro Close
Off
Yedseram Street, Maitama, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
Your
Excellencies,
2015 General Elections In Nigeria
& INEC’s Shoddy Preparations: Chaos, Anarchy & Bloodletting Looming (Part One)
International Society for Civil
Liberties & the Rule of Law
is a leading human rights organization from the Southeast of Nigeria
headquartered in Onitsha, Anambra State. Formed in 2008, we work on: civil
liberties & rule of law, democracy & good governance and security &
safety.
We humbly write Your Excellencies
over the subject above referenced and the grounds upon which we write are
stated below.
1. Introduction:
Owing to several scholarly studies
in recent times in various parts of the world including Nigeria,
triggers/causes of election and post election human and material violence have
substantially been linked to the electoral commissions or bodies that organized
such polls. In the Republic of Ivory Coast, for instance, the immediate causes
of 2010 post election violence were traced to the country’s electoral
commission that controversially annulled poll results in seven strategic
polling areas of the North to favour then incumbent Laurent Gbagbo. In USA, the
denial of voting rights to Blacks and Hispanics has given rise to
age-long scientific/demographic rigging in the country, leading
to tensions, several protests and lawsuits. Gladly, this age-long injustice is
now being frontally addressed. Nigeria is presently faced with similar
challenges courtesy of its Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It
has been empirically established that the referenced electoral commissions
contribute 60% causes of electoral violence leaving 30% to political
authorities and politicians and 10% to the electorates.
2. Facts Of The Matter:
On 9th January, 2015, the (INEC) headed by Prof Attahiru
Jega, made public the status of the National Register of Voters to be
used in the February General Elections in Nigeria. The INEC said that it
has ordered or received as at January 7, 2015, a total of 54, 341, 610 (fifty
four million, three hundred and forty one thousand, six hundred and ten) PVCs
(permanent voters cards) from its suppliers/ contractors; out of which, 38,
774, 391 (thirty eight million, seven hundred and seventy four thousand, nine
hundred and ninety one) have been distributed to registered voters across the
country till date leaving 30, 059, 085 registered voters disenfranchised. That
is to say 14,491,866 unproduced PVCs and 15,567, 219 PVCs undistributed
till date.
On January 13, 2015, the Jega’s
INEC made another public statement saying that a total of 68, 833, 476
(sixty eight million, eight hundred and thirty- three thousand, four hundred
and seventy six) RVs (registered voters) have been penciled down to vote
in the February General Elections in the country. It said it arrived at the
figure after subjecting the National Register of Voters to automated
fingerprint identification system (AFIS) for the purpose of elimination
of multiple/double registrants leading to elimination of over
4million double registrants after which the figure came down to 68,
833, 476. The INEC also pasted on its website the State by State
distribution of the PVCs as at 13th January 2015 and
withheld State by State breakdown of its given and approved registered voters
of 68, 833, 476 it penciled down to vote in the said polls. It is important to
note that these claims of INEC are yet to be independently verified.
3. Disenfranchisement Of Over 35M Voters: As of date, over 35 million
Nigerians most of them registered voters have been disenfranchised by INEC. The
total number of disenfranchised registered voters across the country is 30,
059, 085; out of which those that have not been captured in the PVCs
production and delivery is 14, 491, 866, while those captured in the PVCs
but have not received theirs till date is 15, 567, 219. Other five
million eligible registrants were also not captured during various continuous
registration exercises across the country particularly in the Southeast
and the Southwest geopolitical zones. This brings the total number of
disenfranchised adult voters in the country to over 35M. There are over
five million Igbo residents in the North, who are registered voters. Many of
them fled the area abandoning their PVCs following Boko Haram and
Islamist Fulani insurgencies. Others are leaving the area in droves fearing
insecurity and other unsafe conditions during the referenced polls. These
referenced registered Nigerian voters are automatically disenfranchised.
4. Geopolitical Allocation Of Registered Voters & PVCs: Our thorough investigation of the foregoing in the 36
States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as well as the
country’s six geopolitical zones using INEC’s voters’ registered shows the
following findings: Northwest 1. Kano State: registered voters 4, 751, 818,
PVCs distributed 2, 771, 185, 2. Kaduna State: registered voters 3, 743,
815, PVCs distributed 2, 643, 517, 3. Katsina State: registered voters
2, 928, 046, PVCs distributed 1, 965, 840, 4. Sokoto State registered
voters 2, 113, 698, PVCs distributed 1, 211, 717, 5. Kebbi State registered
voters 1, 459, 374, PVCs distributed 1, 035, 780, 6. Zamfara State registered
voters 1, 802, 302, PVCs distributed 935, 302,
7.Jigawa State registered voters
1, 817, 087, PVCs distributed 1, 460, 420. Total registered voters for the
Northwest zone 18, 616, 499. Total PVCs distributed 12, 003, 964. Total
disenfranchised 6, 612, 535.
North-Central: 1. Benue State: registered
voters 2, 340, 718, PVCs distributed 1, 132, 178, 2. Plateau State: registered
voters 2, 082, 725, PVCs distributed 1, 072, 352, 3. Niger State: registered
voters 2, 427, 081 PVCs distributed 1, 089, 002, 4. Kogi State: registered
voters 1, 305, 533, PVCs distributed 755, 775, 5. Nasarawa State: registered
voters 1, 291, 876, PVCs distributed 799, 991, 6. Kwara State registered
voters 1, 125, 035, PVCs distributed 670, 694. Total registered voters for
the North-Central 10, 592, 958. Total PVCs distributed 5, 539, 982. Total
disenfranchised 5, 052, 976.
Northeast (troubled zone): 1. Bauchi
State: registered voters 2, 502, 609, PVCs distributed 1, 509, 255, 2.
Gombe State: registered voters 1, 208, 927, PVCs distributed 802, 959, 3.
Yobe State: registered voters 1, 203, 224, PVCs distributed 740, 336, 4.
Adamawa State: registered voters 1, 682, 907, PVCs distributed 912, 312, 5.
Taraba State: registered voters 1, 279, 394, PVCs distributed 921, 637, Borno
State: registered voters 2, 570, 349, PVCs distributed (est.) 1, 570, 349. Total
registered voters for Northeast 10, 447, 410. Total PVCs distributed
7, 456, 848. Total PVCs distributed excluding Borno 4, 886, 499. Total
disenfranchised 2, 990, 562.
Southwest: 1. Lagos State: registered
voters 5, 426, 391, PVCs distributed 2, 159, 091, 2. Oyo State: registered
voters 2, 487, 132, PVCs distributed 1, 141, 405, 3. Ogun State: registered
voters 1, 796, 024, PVCs distributed 930, 276, 4. Ondo State: registered
voters 1, 472, 237, PVCs distributed 824, 715, 5. Osun State: registered
voters 1, 318, 120, PVCs distributed 992, 310, 6. Ekiti State: registered
voters 688, 950, PVCs distributed 481, 198. Total registered voters for
Southwest 13, 188, 854. Total PVCs distributed 6, 419, 003. Total
disenfranchised 6, 769, 851.
South-south: 1. Rivers State: registered
voters 2, 466, 977, PVCs distributed 1, 253, 606, 2. Delta State: registered
voters 2, 044, 372, PVCs distributed 1, 260, 728, 3. Edo State: registered
voters 1, 593, 488, PVCs distributed 930, 276, 4. Cross River State: registered
voters 1, 169, 469, PVCs distributed 469, 763, 5. Akwa Ibom State: registered
voters 1, 621, 798, PVCs distributed 1, 177, 950, 6. Bayelsa State: registered
voters 590, 679, PVCs distributed 370, 029. Total registered voters for
South-south 9, 486, 811. Total PVCs distributed 5, 788, 053. Total
disenfranchised 3, 698, 758.
Southeast: 1. Anambra State: registered
voters 1, 784, 536, PVCs distributed 862, 747, 2. Imo State: registered
voters 1, 672, 666, PVCs distributed 682, 046, 3. Abia State: registered
voters 1, 387, 844, PVCs distributed 1, 020, 601, 4. Enugu State: registered
voters 1, 313, 128, PVCs distributed 662, 445, 5. Ebonyi State: registered
voters 1, 020, 011, PVCs distributed 687, 402. Total registered voters for
Southeast 7, 178, 185. Total PVCs distributed 3, 944, 242.
Total disenfranchised 3, 233,
943. In the FCT, out of 892, 628 in the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT), only 411, 935 have received their PVCs till date
leaving 480, 683 disenfranchised.
5. Findings:
in the entire North including the
FCT, there are a total of 40, 549, 495 (forty million, five hundred and forty
nine thousand, four hundred and forty nine) registered voters and in the entire
South, there are only 29, 853, 850 (twenty nine million, eight hundred and
fifty three thousand, eight hundred and fifty) registered voters. In the PVCs
distribution, while 24, 481, 487 (twenty four million, four hundred &
eighty one thousand, four hundred & eighty one) have received their PVCs
in the North, only 16, 151, 298 (sixteen million, one hundred & fifty
one thousand, two hundred & ninety eight) have received theirs in the
entire South as of date. In other words, while 24, 481, 487 PVCs holders
have been empowered to vote in the February polls in the North, only 16, 151,
298 PVCs holders in the entire South will vote. This means that the
North has been given maximum voting advantage over the South to the tune of 8,
330, 189 (eight million, three hundred & thirty thousand, one hundred &
eighty nine).
Further
Findings: (a) Disenfranchisement of over five million Igbo-Nigerians
resident in the North particularly in Kano, Kaduna, Plateau, Borno and Adamawa
States, who fled the troubled areas owing to Boko Haram and Islamist Fulani
insurgencies and failure by INEC to recapture them either in the voters’
cards transfer or continuous voters’ registration. (b) Abandonment
of millions of PVCs belonging to fleeing
Igbo-Nigerian residents in the North in INEC’s hands and their
possible use to rig the presidential poll in the North. (c) Desperation
by INEC headship to get the Northeast IDPs comprising the infants, children,
women and the aged said to be 918, 416 in number to vote in the
presidential poll at all costs owing to their strategic ethno-religious
advantage to the Northern votes. (d) Paying little or no attention to
30, 059, 085 disenfranchised registered voters majorly located in the Southwest
and the Southeast geopolitical zones and paying more attention to the so called
“Northeast IDPs” dominated by Muslim populations.
Yours
Faithfully,
For:
International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law
Emeka Umeagbalasi, B.Sc. (Hons.) Criminology & Security
Studies
Board Chairman, International Society for Civil Liberties
& the Rule of Law
+2348174090052
info@intersociety-ng.org,
emekaumeagbalasi@yahoo.co.uk
Chiugo Onwuatuegwu, Esq., (LL.B. BL), Head, Democracy &
Good Governance Program
Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., (LL.B, BL), Head, Civil Liberties
& Rule of Law Program
Uzochukwu Oguejiofor, Esq., (LL.B, BL), Head, Campaign &
Publicity Department
CC:
1. The Federal Executive Council of
Nigeria
C/O The
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
2. The Chairman, Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria
3. Secretary General, Amnesty
International, London, UK
4. Executive Director, Human Rights
Watch, USA, New York, USA
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