Barely a week to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Bauchi State, has raised alarm of a systematic plan by INEC to disenfranchise about 10, 000 Christians in Bauchi LGA of the State, saying if INEC cannot resolve the problems in Bauchi and other similar situations in other States, then Prof. Attahiru Jega should resign.

The CAN Youth Wing through its Bauchi LGA Coordinator, Mako Gwamis, stated their challenges, while briefing Journalists in Jos, Saturday.

Barely a week to the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Bauchi State, has raised alarm of a systematic plan by INEC to disenfranchise about 10, 000 Christians in Bauchi LGA of the State, saying if INEC cannot resolve the problems in Bauchi and other similar situations in other States, then Prof. Attahiru Jega should resign.

The CAN Youth Wing through its Bauchi LGA Coordinator, Mako Gwamis, stated their challenges, while briefing Journalists in Jos, Saturday.

“Christian dominated areas like Bayara, Yalwan Tsakani, Tsakanin Bayara, Gwallameji; Doka, Kagadama, Yalwan-Tudu, Turum, Miri, Yelwan-Makaranta, Rafin Zurfi, Gudum Sayawa, Gudum Hausa, ECWA 1 area, to mention a few.

He added, “According to our findings, we have about, 10, 000 people who took their time to stand under the sun and registered for the coming polls, but not up to 2, 000 of them had their PVCs, due to INEC’s deliberate act to make PVCs available to their polling units for distribution. He lamented.

Lamenting further, the Christian Youth said, they were being made to travel about 40km to Kofar Ran, where the INEC Local Government office to collect their PVCs, but decried that despite the long trip, they are left stranded, as they do not find INEC officials on ground.

“Even when the INEC officers come, they come very late and close very early in a deliberate attempt to avoid those who come for the PVCs.

“There are reports that some village heads are in possession of the PVCs. One wonders, what do village heads have to do with PVCs that ought to be in possession of the electorate by now? Is it not an evil plan to disenfranchise the Christians communities in Bauchi LGA?

“What is more worrisome is the silence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Bauchi State. If nothing is done to solve the problem, it is undoubtedly clear that this situation will have a negative effect in the conduct of free and fair elections in Bauchi LGA.

They called on INEC to return the PVCs to the respective polling units.

“If INEC, cannot correct the problems in Bauchi LGA and any other place in Nigeria, Prof. Attahiru Jega should come up and tell the world that he has fail to conduct a free and fair election and honourably resign for a credible person who will show no ethnic or religious difference in marshalling of the affairs of INEC to take over”.

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Polls: Christians in Bauchi are Denied their PVCs- CAN