By Yusuf Idris Gusau
(An opinion)
It is a well known fact that the present government of Zamfara under governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle MON inherited myriads of insecurity issues against which the state government in collaboration with the federal government made positive impact in mitigating the crimes perpetrated by armed bandits which had led to loss of several lives and property and displacement of hundreds of thousands from their original places of abode.
The joint action of the governments through the selflessness of our security agencies with support from local volunteers and dynamic initiatives by governor Matawalle to break the ranks, disorganize and neutralize the criminals have however returned many of these displaced persons to their communities who were given support in form of reliefs to ameliorate the difficulties they faced to bearable state.
This in turn is now giving the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC which hitherto suspenpended its Continuous Voter Registration CVR activities in 13 out of the 14 local government areas of the state to resume in order to ensure that no eligible Zamfara citizen is denied full participation in the coming 2023 general election.
Speaking recently at a political stakeholders meeting at his office, the state’s INEC Commissioner, Prof. Sa’idu Ahmad Babura who expressed his office’s readiness to resume work at the local governments however decried that although INEC softened the registration exercise by introducing online initiated registration which is completed through physical capture of the registrants, there are 258,931 eligible persons in the state who did the online registration but many of them are yet to complete the process which will give them their voters cards by going for the physical capture.
Similarly, the INEC head in Zamfara said persons with disability only have 14 of their members captured on the resumed CVR and this is in addition to the third major problem of about 45,000 uncollected voters cards lying in INEC offices across the state.
This information became a serious source of worry for the All Progressives Congress APC in the state which was represented at the stakeholders meeting by Secretary of the Party, Alhaji Ibrahim Umar Dangaladima, Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau and Assistant Welfare Secretary, Alhaji Shehu J Mohammed
While commending the effort of the federal and state governments as well as the security for the gradual return of peace in the state coupled with the bold steps being taken by INEC to resume CVR in all the 14 LGAs, the APC informed the meeting of the APC’s push on all eligible citizens in the state to ensure that their PVCs are in their possession before the commencement of the elections as the only way to ensure the emergence of good leaders who will continue to provide dividends of democracy to them.
The call by the APC on eligible voters to get their PVCs has been roundly responded to by many APC volunteer groups in the state with large number of women involvement some of whom have taken the challange upon themselves to go from house-to-house sensitizing citizens on the importance of having the PVC and how to use it wisely when the polls finally come.
It is therefore instructive to note that the Matawalle-led administration in Zamfara has done its part to establish an enabling environment to its citizens to have the freedom and the zeal to come together and do what is right as the nation moves towards yet another election season under a successive democratic setting.
With the special prayers being offered regularly by all well meaning citizens of the state which is now yieldeding positive result, the APC expressed confidence that the state will reclaim its status of being most peaceful and fast growing in the state.
We specially salute our gallant security agencies who make sacrifice their lives in the defence of the country with the full support of President Muhammadu Buhari and the constant patriotic efforts of Governor Matawalle.
