The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that more Nigerians are registered in the ongoing nationwide Continuous Voter Registration before it closes on June 30.
The PDP National Chairman, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu made the call when the National Working Committee (NWC) party received a delegation of the European Union (EU) at the party national secretariat on Friday, in Abuja.
Ayu said that it was true that INEC might be doing its best but PDP still think it could could do better.
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“Registration of voters in Nigeria is very low. It is not just the mobilisation by the political parties, but it is also the technical capacity of INEC to go out there and register Nigerians.
“In a population of almost 200 million People, we expect that 40 per cent of the population be captured on the electoral register and that is not the case.
“I think what we have today is less than five per cent and it is not good enough.
“Therefore, we want to call on INEC and all our friends that can help in that direction to make sure the more people are captured on the on the electoral register,” Ayu said.
The party chairman also said that the PDP was concerned about the issues of insecurity in the country, hoping it was not an attempt for tenure elongation by 2023.
He said that the party was also worry about post election crisis, hoping that the ruling party would emulate PDP by peacefully transmit power if it losses presidential election in 2023.
“We have demonstrated that democracy is best when you transit smoothly from one electoral cycle to the other.
“We want everybody to appreciate what we did when we lost elections in 2015. We didn’t use agencies of the state to stay in power. We conceded defeat.
“When we win, we expect those who are currently in government to concede defeat,” he said.
Ayu, who reiterated that the PDP primaries would be transparent, added that delegates would determine who becomes the party presidential candidate for 2023.
He expressed confidence that whoever emerged as PDP candidate at its primary would become the president of Nigeria.
Ayu, who appreciated various contributions of EU to Nigeria- economically or politically, urged the union to continue to support Nigeria to deepen it electoral process and democracy.
Speaking earlier, Samuela Isopi, the EU Ambassador, who led the delegation, said that the visit was part of EU consultations with all stakeholders, partners and actors of the electoral process ahead of 2023 general elections.
She reaffirmed EU’s support to Nigeria democracy, saying the union would continue to work together with all the institutions and stakeholders in Nigeria.
“The European Union restates its commitment as a strong partner with Nigeria and the Nigerian people.
“The European Union has been a steady, supportive partner for Nigeria’s democracy since the return to see the civil rule in 1999.
“European Union has been supporting the country in strengthening its democratic governance through the support to all the stakeholders to INEC and as well as to the other actors and players of the process of the city society, the media, the political parties.
“We have also at the request of the Nigerian authorities always deployed electoral observation, to entrench the process of democracy,” she said.(NAN)
