A Nigerian man has triggered
discussions on the social media after making an unusual offer to pay people to
register as voters in future elections.
Tochukwu Ezeoke said on Friday he
would pay N1,000 to anyone who registers and shows evidence of registration by
Friday. He said his offer goes only to natives of Nigeria’s five south eastern
states.
“I am paying N1,000 to anyone who
registers & obtains his/her PVC within the 5-SE states between today &
next Friday. Just inbox me proof that you just registered & your account
details. The token is yours,” Mr. Ezeoke, who leads a sociopolitical group, the
Igbo Ekunie Initiative, wrote on Twitter.
His suggestion quickly drew
varied reactions, with some Nigerians comparing the offer to vote-buying.
“What’s the difference between
you and Politicians who give money for votes? If a citizen is interested in the
future of his country, he should make the move to get his PVC! If he has to be
paid to register, get ready to pay him to vote,” a Twitter user, Kiki popeyes,
wrote.
But the offer was defended by
many as well. Some argued the payment, notwithstanding the amount, will
encourage Nigerians to exercise their civic duties of getting registered.
“What he’s doing is to encourage
people to exercise their Civil rights. This is a means to awaken Electorates
Consciousness not a means to manipulate their minds,” another user responded.
Mr. Ezeoke whilst speaking with premium times said, the
offer will cater for the transportation and feeding of the new registrants.
He said the offer was only aimed
at “encouraging or provoking” people to key into the voter registration
exercise.
“The disparity between registered
voters and the overall population is disheartening, hence my offer is aimed at
encouraging or provoking people to register,” he said.
“I believe the gesture is already
generating the much-needed conservation and spurring the docile population
within the stipulated region to go and register. It is the right kick.”
Mr. Ezeoke said the offer was
specific for people in the five South Eastern states because of the low voter
percentage in the region.
“I was shocked to see the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC registration report and the
South-East has only 8 million registered voters. This is unacceptable. We are
already disadvantaged even without casting our votes. The youth are on social
media abusing themselves. I felt I needed to give them a push to see if they
will take my challenge, and it is working. Some are opposed to it while some
are taking the offer.
“People in the South are
complaining of lack of information. There are also complaints that when people
turn up at the INEC offices, the INEC staffs appear very reluctant to register
them. I had a similar experience where I was even told to go get my
international passport to show that I was not in the country during the last
registration cycle.
“INEC can look into improving the
current process. People shouldn’t spend much time trying to register to vote.
This is part of the reason I have volunteered to pay their transport fare and
maybe water while they wait to be registered,” Mr. Ezeoke said.
Voter turnout has remained a
challenge to the Nigerian political process.
In 2001, Nigeria, with 50.3 per
cent, was one of the countries with the lowest level of voter turnout in the
world, ranked 157th of 169 countries.
Since then, voter turnout in
elections has been declining with the lowest being the 2015 election which
recorded just 43.65 per cent and a much lower voting age turnout of 32.11 per
cent.
Under the Electoral Act, offering
payments for voter registration, without the condition to vote a specific
candidate, is not listed as an offence.
Good gesture however it may be misconstrue as evidently so.
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