Only a few hours to the 2023 presidential election and Nigerians have shown enthusiasm in exercising their franchise.
The elections scheduled for February 25 is expected to have a high turnout of voters.
However, many voters may not exercise their franchise at the polls.
In The Beginning
Since the first election of the fourth Nigerian Republic in 1999, elections in Nigeria have been plagued by violence, rigging, ballot snatching, vote buying, and results manipulation among others.
This was confirmed when Nigeria’s former president the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua admitted to being a product of one of such violence-plagued elections.
Yar’Adua at a G8 summit openly attested to the fact that the elections which produced him as president in 2007 were flawed.
Local and foreign observers also attested to the fact that the elections were flawed.
The European Union described the 2007 elections as the worst they had ever seen anywhere in the world.
The Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 70 people were killed in political violence ahead of the voting.
However, the 2011 elections that brought in Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was praised as improvements over that of 2007.
Although not without irregularities, the polls were reported in the international media as having run smoothly with little violence.
Insecurity
Ahead of the 2023 elections, voters in states battling terrorism may not be seen at polls.
Although the Nigeria Police Force and the Army have promised adequate security, but promises may not be enough.
States that have been experiencing terrorists’ attacks since Jonathan’s tenure, may not be willing to risk it.
With alarming high rates of kidnapping in the country; voters may also be scared of traveling to cast their votes.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has improved and developed means to make the elections run smoothly.
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Yet, the commission has not provided a means for voters to cast their votes in a different polling unit from where they had originally registered or transferred to.
This means voters unable to travel due to fear of being kidnapped are automatically disenfranchised.
Naira Scarcity
Following the redesign of the Naira notes, scarcity of the notes has been plaguing the country for weeks running.
As a result, many have been unable to move around. Sadly, Nigerians have resorted to digital means of payment for transportation. But not all transport systems are accommodated in this payment means.
However, Nigerians who are unable to access cash to transport both inter-state and intra-state may be disenfranchised.
So many social media users have been lamenting not being able to access cash to pay for transportation and many banking platforms are not accessible.
It is a critical situation that has opened the truth about banking infrastructure in Nigeria.
PVC Collection
Another reason some Nigerians may not be able to vote is that they do not have their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs). Some who registered could not get their PVCs.
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The PVC is needed to identify voters at the polling units before they are allowed to vote.
However, according to INEC, some registered voters did not show up to collect their PVCs.
