The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has joined the growing number of prominent Nigerians who may not be able to exercise their franchise as a result of their inability to get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC).
Many Nigerians have had cause to cry out about their inability to access their PVC in the last few days.
On Monday, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar shocked President Goodluck Jonathan who had visited him ahead of his campaign in the state same day, when he told the President that it was unfortunate he does not have his PVC.
He advised the government to do everything to ensure that no Nigerian who has registered is disenfranchised.
The House of Representatives had recently moved that those with the temporary voters cards be allowed to vote since it had become obvious that INEC cannot meet up to its bidding.
It is not yet known if the House resolution would be honoured.
The Sultan of Sokoto urged the government at the centre to respect people’s wishes.
“Let’s not try to disenfranchise anybody. We have had issues of the Permanent Voter Cards 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,” he said.
“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.
“We believe you will find solution 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.”
He expressed dissatisfaction at the way the campaigns now tend to put issues of religion ahead of issues with which to campaign.
He urged the government to work hard to end insecurity in parts of the country adding that as the leader of the Muslims in this country, he 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,” he said.
“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 to how we have been living.
“As such time now and I will say never a time in this country’s history that we face very serious challenges like what we are facing now.
“The whole politicking had been turned into either religious or ethnic matters and this should not be so because we see what happens across the world.
“We are worried because religion has been brought into it. We made it very clear in 2011; there is no way religion should be part of the campaigns or even the election itself.
“On insecurity facing us in all parts of the 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 what we see in newspapers, watch on television and hear as comments from our people, brothers and friends.”
He expressed worry that Nigeria’s politics had been turned into a war and that families are now being divided and friends becoming enemies.
