We, the Vanguard of Concerned Citizens of Nigeria hereby seek the immediate resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) Chairman for his intentional disenfranchisement of young Nigerians from participating in their statutory civic responsibility. The right to vote is a civic responsibility as enshrined in the International Charter of every democratic nation and in the Nigeria constitution of 1999 as amended.

Young Nigerians have been intentionally disenfranchised by the actions of INEC and its proxies as evident in the various INEC registration centres across the nation which is due to either under staffing or no machines or non functional equipment. These bring to question the capability of the INEC Chairman to deliver a free and fair election to Nigerians and the electorates.

The situation is the same across INEC centres across Nigeria especially in the Southern part of the Nation where a lot of voters enlightenment, participation and the preaching of patriotism has been campaigned to promote an all inclusive participation in the Nigeria electoral process. The citizens are not to bear the brunt of INEC's incapabilities and slothful approach to electioneering. 

Hence, we are calling for an extension of the INEC registration deadline or the resignation of the principal if he cannot meet the needs and the yearnings of the populace as regards the promotion of civic rights of Nigerians which is the right to vote and be voted for. 

The incompetence of INEC at this time, calls for a forensic investigation into the budget of INEC and the accountability of the institution. Nigerians seek to know what has been expended into material purchase and why is there a clog in the system in spite of the huge allocation and disbursement to the organisation. 

These are taxpayers money and hence we are inviting the following Anti-corruption agencies ; the EFCC and ICPC to look into the pleas of Nigerians as regards INEC's excuses for incompetence which is hinged on non-availability of machines and inadequate staffing. Why must Nigerians suffer, why must we be made to pay for the sins of INEC's incompetence?

Nigerians are slumping on long queues, deprived of going to work and hungry from standing all day in order to be attended to.  Some INEC officers are asking for bribe to register us while some INEC units are still closed in the South-East impeding the right of people to carry out their civic responsibilities. It will also interest you to know that some officers have equally refused to register the Igbos in the South-West (Lagos). This has led to chaos and increased level of insecurity for people to go out and register for their PVCs. These unpatriotic actions must be addressed.

We hereby seek unequivocally, the extension of voters registration for another two months. Both the online and physical registration and that machines should be made available at all INEC centres with adequate manpower to support the huge number of Nigerians seeking to be registered to vote.

We therefore demand that the INEC Chairman do the needful to extend the date for PVC registration. If INEC could afford to extend the date for the political party primaries, it can surely afford to give the electorate more time to make their votes count.  

The office of the Citizen is the highest office of the land and thus must be respected.

Duly signed by Concerned Nigerians and Citizens.

#StopVoterSuppressionInNigeria