Temidayo Akinsuyi, Lagos

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Wednesday said President Muhammadu Buhari is encouraging under-age voting by not signing the Electoral Act passed by the National Assembly into law.

The group said the only way the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can prevent the incidence of under-age voting in the 2019 general elections was to insist on the use of card reader for all registered voters.

According to INEC, 13.5 million Nigerians voted manually without biometric accreditation in the 2015 presidential election.

The data shows that President Muhammadu Buhari, who was then candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), won in nine of the 10 states where people voted manually.

Speaking to our correspondent, Yinka Odumakin, national publicity secretary of Afenifere, said President Buhari having been a major beneficiary of underage voting in 2015 wanted a repeat next month hence his refusal to sign the Electoral Act.

The organisation further urged the international community such as the US, UK, EU and other foreign observers to monitor the election and insist INEC did the right thing, saying the whole world would be affected if the election in Nigeria went awry.

“In spite of the refusal of the president to sign the Electoral Act, INEC must insist on the use of card reader. Every voter must go through card reader.

“Remember that we have a lot of under-age voting in 2015. That was possible because 13.5 million voters voted manually without card readers. 45 percent of these ones are in the areas where President Buhari won election.

“That is why they want to enjoy it again this time around by not signing the Electoral Act. This election is so important to the future of this country as a stable polity. So, INEC must do everything possible to ensure that such things are prevented.

“Also, the world community like the US, EU, UK and others must beam their searchlight on Nigeria and put their foot down because in their own self-interest, if anything goes wrong in Nigeria, all their countries are in trouble. So, it is in the interest of the world community that nothing happens to dislocate the peace of Nigeria,” he said.

In a related development, Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that INEC could not be trusted to conduct credible polls in 2019 because of the inconsistent actions of the commission.

Governor Wike stated that though Rivers people were peace-loving, they would resist any attempt to rig the 2019 election in the state.

He spoke during a Special Appearance on Channels Television, Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday which was aired from the Government House, Port Harcourt.

He said: “INEC has different interpretations of judgments, depending on where it is coming from.

“When the court nullified the Rivers APC primaries, a lawyer of one of the factions wrote to INEC not to recognise any candidate because of the judgment.

“INEC wrote to APC notifying them of the outcome of that judgment.

“INEC merely said they were in receipt of the letter requesting that INEC should obey.

“In the case of PDP, INEC wrote to PDP in Ogun State where Buruji dragged the party to court, telling them they will comply.

“When there is a judgment against PDP, there is immediate enforcement.

“When it concerns APC, INEC says they are studying the judgment. In the case of Ogun State PDP, INEC quickly obeyed the judgment.”

The governor said INEC should work as an unbiased umpire, ensuring that the Electoral Act was respected at all times and due process followed in the conduct of elections.

Governor Wike noted that INEC had been involved in several under-the-table actions in Rivers State since 2015.

He said during the rerun elections, INEC connived with the police to deny the people of Rivers East Senatorial District their rightful mandate.

He stated that INEC and security agencies should commit themselves to working towards credible polls. He noted that INEC and security agencies should sign a pact to respect the tenets of the Electoral Act.

“The Peace Accord is a ceremony. It is a mere public display. The Peace Accord cannot work because they are not sincere.

“INEC and security should sign Peace Accord because they are the ones who create circumstances for electoral violence. They try to manipulate the process against the will of the people,” he said.
https://www.independent.ng/2019-polls-buhari-encouraging-under-age-voting-afenifere/

Right now a plane ticket is the answer. I don’t care what the question is. Atikluserz

Afenifere are angry no more dollar rain as usual Sai Baba is a man of integrity.

This stupid man will just hidden in one corner of his room uttering rubbish. Afenifere should stop using Yoruba name to cover up their atrocities.

Underage voting is a no no to me they can easily be manipulated.

Put your business on Google and get more clients check my profile

Afenifere, CRY ME A RIVER!

madridguy:
Afenifere are angry no more dollar rain as usual Sai Baba is a man of integrity.

paid zombie

All in the name politics, afenifere sef just dey tan rubbish! Shior

Jobless people are always idle talkers

The yorubas are good activists and are good in voicing out their displeasures on national issues but one thing they should work on is the level of their ethnicity and betryal.

Am not being tribalistic. I say the truth. I have Yoruba friends and I love them.

While INEC has put his relation in strategic position, and political police boss' tenure being extended to do a dirty job before leaving, seeing he has no career left in the force. Same with most of the service chiefs.

Buhari is an hypocrite that was a beneficiary of child voting in 2015.
He can still sign the electoral bill a week to election if he is serious to endure free and fair elections.

madridguy:
Afenifere are angry no more dollar rain as usual Sai Baba is a man of integrity.

Good point.
You've said it all patriot.

ShameOnAPC:
paid zombie

Unpaid wailing zombie

Buhari will surely fail and return to his cows.

The terrorist called Mohomodu Buhari is banking on the under age voters to win the election. He has FAILED already.

It's in their blood.

Most times I begin to wonder how useful and relevant is my PVC!

Buhari should not attempt to rig the election, otherwise...

ALMAJIRI ARE THE ONES THAT VOTED HIM TO POWER IN 2015, THAT HAS BEEN THE TRADITION OF THE NORTH AGAINST THE INFIDELS IN THE SOUTH

How else did he get millions of votes in the core North if not for underaged voters So what do you expect?

Irrelevant Afenifere that lose their honour for dollars during PDP era, instead of being apolitical group they are canvassing for vote for the political party they supported.

Stop deceiving Westerners as Yorubas are wiser than before prior to this faction of Afenifere has derailed from the philosophy of Awo.

Yeye group.

Buhari is the definition of evil

Mccullum:
Irrelevant Afenifere that lose their honour for dollars during PDP era, instead of being apolitical group they are canvassing for vote for the political party they supported.

Stop deceiving Westerners as Yorubas are wiser than before prior to this faction of Afenifere has derailed from the philosophy of Awo.

Yeye group.

was awo apolitical??

[s]

madridguy:
Afenifere are angry no more dollar rain as usual Sai Baba is a man of integrity.

[/s]
trash

Yoruba Muslims will oppose them as usual, their enslavement to the Fulani elite will not allow them to see the truth

Only cows & brainless terrorist wish Buhari to continue...