The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence
Sa’ad Abubakar III, has expressed fears that
unless something was done urgently, millions
of Nigerians, including himself, would be
disenfranchised as they were not able to
collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards, PVCs.
Abubakar spoke in Sokoto when he received
President Goodluck Jonathna, who was in the
state for a political rally in his palace.
He asked Jonathan to ensure that the
Independent National Electoral Commission,
INEC, provides all
eligible voters with their cards before the
elections as well as ensure that government
takes steps to respect the people’s wishes by
delivering credible, free and fair elections.
He said: “Let’s respect people’s wishes; let’s
not try to disenfranchise anybody. We have
had issues of the PVCs and I want to tell you
that even myself, I don’t have a PVC, so it
means I will not vote on February 14.
“So, we have to look for a way out. It is for
your government to now look for what to do;
how to ensure that all the cards get to the
voters before the voting day or in the
alternative, find a way out because in any
problem there is a solution and we believe you
will find solutions as regard this very serious
hitch facing us because millions of Nigerians
seem to be heading towards
disenfranchisement and they won’t be able to
vote but I have heard comments from the
INEC Chairman. We are still waiting for our
cards to come.”
The Sultan said the difficulties in obtaining
the PVC was one of the challenges bothering
him and other leaders as it appeared millions
of Nigerians would be disenfranchised during
this year’s general elections.
Condemns religious colouration of campaigns
The Muslim leader condemned the religious
colouration being given to this year’s
campaigns and called on politicians to rather
focus on issues.
He noted that because of the country’s
diversity, it was not “possible” for elections in
Nigeria to be all about religion.
Sultan said: “They will come to seek the votes
of the common man … but they will not see
you again for four years but we have the
privilege of seeing you everyday and maybe
every time and we always express to you the
problems of our people.”
Tasks politicians on Abuja peace accord
He challenged all politicians to not only abide
by the Abuja Peace Accord between President
Jonathan and the candidate of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, General
Muhammadu Buhari and 12 others, but also
ensure that their various supporters at all
levels get the message and behave
accordingly.
He further decried the prevailing insecurity in
the country and urged the president to stop it
by ensuring that Nigerians once again, enjoy
peace.
He said: “As the leader of the Muslims in this
country, I will not fail to intimate the
President and his government with the
problems Muslims face in this country, that is
our own area of attention as Muslim leaders.
We care about how we live as a people and
we are very worried about how we are living
now as a people and God Almighty who
placed leadership of the country on your
shoulders, we feel we must always alert you
on how we have been living.
“As such time now and I will say never a time
in this country’s history that we faced very
serious challenges like what are facing now.
The whole politicking had been turned into
either religion of ethnic matters and this
should not be so because we see what
happens across the world.
“We are worried because religion had been
brought into it, we made it very clear in 2011,
there is no way religion should be an issue in
the election campaigns or even the election
itself.
“As you have seen here, I think there are more
Muslims in this room than Christians and
coming here now to come for prayers for
success of your campaigns goes to show that
as the leader of the Muslims, I have no choice
than to pray for you.
Issues that should face political leaders
“Therefore, the insecurity issues facing us in
all parts of country, we have heard campaign
promises left, right and centre but we want to
hear from our political leaders, how do you
intend to resolve the security issues; how do
you intend to tackle unemployment, how do
you intend to tackle the rot in education?
“These are issues that should face the various
political leaders instead of mudslinging,
calling each other names and whatever. We
are very worried about what we read in
newspapers, watch on television and the
comments we hear from our people, brothers
and friends. Politics of this country has now
been turned into a war, families are being
divided, friends have become enemies just
because of seeking for political office.”
Advises journalists
The Muslim leader urged Nigerian journalists
not to compound the already worsening
security situation in the country by re-
publishing the offensive French magazine
cartoons of Prophet Muhammad.
While condemning the killing of the journalists
who first published the cartoons and the
reprisal killings and violence that followed in
some other countries, Abubakar urged
Nigerians not to let negative influences of the
Western world cause disruption of peace in
Nigeria.
He wished the Jonathan campaign team well
in their endeavours as he prayed for peaceful
and fair elections.
Jonathan
assures Sultan
Jonathan had told the Sultan earlier that he
was in the palace to formerly introduce
himself and his vice as candidates in the 2015
general elections.
He assured the Sultan that the PDP-led
government under his leadership was
committed to transforming the country, noting
that various interventions in agriculture and
the education sector such as the the Almajeri
programme were geared towards speedy
economic growth


http://www..com/2015/01/i-dont-have-pvc-sultan-of-sokoto-cries.html

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/dont-pvc-sultan-cries/

What are his reasons

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brigging attempt to reduce population of buharI strong hold just like what Inec did to IngIga in anabra.

Sai buharI

ask jegga!

Me 2 no get, ur highness lets just be watchin dem

The only solution is for those who have temporary voters card or those whose names are on the voters register and have a valid form of identification be allowed to vote!

good one there it they will listen

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