There are numerous
allegations against President Muhammadu Buhari and his cohorts to have perfected plans to return back to
power in 2019 against all odds after observing that the overwhelming support
Nigerians gave to him in the 2015 general election has waned seriously. From my
investigation, I realized that there are some factors that will push Buhari
through in 2019 presidential election no matter the number of votes that might
be cast against him.
There are five basic
factors that will make Buhari to return to power in 2019 general election and these
factors are instrumental to determine how the elections go and who emerges
winner. These factors are: the high rate of influx of foreign Fulani from Niger
and other neighbouring African countries into Nigeria; INEC registration of
under-aged voters in the North; slow Voters’ registration in North-central and
many southern states; voter apathy towards elections by many North-central Nigerians
and Southerners and those who love him.
My sources in the Immigration
in Katsina and Sokoto States have reliably told me that the rate of influx of
Fulani from Niger into Nigeria is very alarming: the number is estimated at
over 1 million. In fact, they said most of them have already registered for
their National Identity Cards including Permanent Voters Cards specifically for
2019 general election. More than 500,000 foreign Fulani from Niger have been
registered by INEC in Northern States mostly in Katsina and Sokoto. It is believed
that before the voters’ registration ends, over 2 million foreigners who are
Fulani from Niger and other African countries might have illegally entered
Nigeria and over 1 million might have registered for their National Identity
card and got their PVCs. This will give Buhari an edge over those contesting
against him.
My sources in INEC in
Katsina and Sokoto also confirmed that under-aged Voters’ registration is
ongoing not only in these states but in other Northern States as well. They
said when some of them refused to register such under-aged people, they were
threatened and decided to do as they wanted. This will give Buhari an edge over
those contesting against him.
Recently, HOPE FOR NIGERIA an Online Human Rights and
Social activism platform accused Buhari and his cohorts that:
“ INEC
Recruited and Registered 471,000 Niger Republic Voters for the 2019
Presidential Election. These people were issued
Nigerian Residence cards back in their country and paid to relocate.
Majority of them are moved to Southern
Kaduna, Jos North and other parts of Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Benue, Kogi,
Umuahia (Abia), Okigwe (Imo), Adamawa, Lagos, Ebonyi, Enugu, Edo North and few
other areas.
Majority of Nigerians are denied the opportunity
to get registered and millions can’t get their voters card as they were
deliberately hidden by INEC officials especially in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna.
With the reported
4.3million under-aged voters deliberately registered by INEC, it is certain
that Buhari and INEC are not ready for a fair election in 2019”.
These are very serious
allegations against President Buhari and the Federal Government that should be
seriously investigated by government and non-government organisations for
appropriate action to be taken.
I was in Afikpo South
in Ebonyi State; Obudu, in Cross River State; Vandeikya, Gboko and Makurdi in
Benue State and Jos North and South in Plateau State and have seen that the
rate at which the Voters’ registration is going is not encouraging as
registration devices and equipment have not been sufficiently sent to these
areas among others. This is a serious setback to speedy registration as the registration
process in these areas is extremely slow which in the end might lead to few
people being registered. This will give Buhari an edge over those contesting
against him.
Voter apathy is a very
serious factor that affects the electoral process. Voters in North-Central and
the South are not committed to the electoral process like those in the North. For
example, a voter in Katsina State can queue up for hours to vote and can wait
patiently. But such is lacking among many voters in the other parts of
Nigeria. In fact, many in other parts of
Nigeria have refused to even register while some have registered but refuse to
turn out to vote during elections. This will also give Buhari an edge over
those contesting against him.
Apart from these, there
are many other Nigerians both in the North and South who are ardent supporters
of Buhari, who love him and are prepared to vote for him in 2019. This group
are those who are acting based on their personal conviction about Buhari which
make him to also have an edge over those that will be contesting against him.
These are the factors I
have seriously perceived that will make President Buhari to push through in
2019 presidential election against all odds. Unless something extraordinary
happens, with all these factors, Buhari is already the winner in next year’s Presidential
election.
By Terfa Naswem