By Dapo Akinrefon
AS the 2011 general election draws nearer preparations are in top gear to ensure that the poll is devoid of irregularities that were the hallmarks of previous elections.

In spite of the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega as chairman of the electoral umpire and the pledge made by President Goodluck Jonathan that there will be no interference on his part in the operations of the commission, Nigerians are still skeptical about the sincerity of Jonathan and perhaps Jega.

Aside, the challenges facing Jega seems to be enormous; it is, however, imperative that the commission tackle the problems facing it in order to avoid making the mistakes of the past.

It was in this bid to ensure credible elections in 2011, that the Save Nigeria Group in collaboration with the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, CODER, set out to demand for a new voters’ register and at the same time, sensitize Nigerians on the need to register before the election is conducted.

It was an event which had in attendance Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Professor Pat Utomi, National Chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, Mr Dele Momodu, Mr Femi Falana, Dr Joe Odumakin, Mr Ayo Opadokun, Henry Ajomale, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), Mr Solomon Asemota, SAN, Ms Ankio Briggs and Mr Jimi Agbaje among others.

The Onikan Stadium was packed full with civil society groups, pro-democracy activists to drive home their demand for a new voters register. It was, however, agreed at the rally that the main task before the newly appointed chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru  Jega is to ensure a new voter’s register is provided before the conduct of the 2011 general elections.

The speakers, who took turns to sensitize Nigerians on the importance of registering, also harped on the need for INEC to discard the currently defective electoral register.

General Alani Akinrinade, who was first to take the stage argued that it was important for Nigerians not to give up the struggle of ensuring that credible people are voted into elective positions.

The retired general said there was ample time to get a new register in place before the next election, but encouraged Nigerians not to be intimidated by those he described as enemies of the people who smuggle their way into power. He argued that “we must come out, not just to register, but to vote and if we decide that the register that we have today is what we’re going to use, I’m afraid we’ve lost the battle before we started. There is plenty of time to do a new voters’ register. Let nobody deceive us that it is not possible to do a new register. If we don’t do a new register, there will be no election.”

Also, former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai who aligned himself with the activities of the Save Nigeria Group picked holes in the conduct of the 2007 elections.

El-Rufai disclosed that “Out of about 65 million voters that registered to vote in 2007, 52 million made the list after compilation and only about 7 million voters cards have been distributed so far with about 45 million still in the warehouse.”

Professor Soyinka, tasked Nigerians on the need to get registered and ensure that their votes are counted just as he added that the 2011 general elections will be a break or make moment for Nigeria.

Lending his voice to the crusade, rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana called for a total overhaul of INEC.

Falana called for the removal of all Resident Electoral Commissioners in states whose elections were nullified or had re-runs lamenting that “it is not good that INEC Commissioners in eight states in which governorship elections were nullified are still in office in those states.”

Also, Governor Fashola of Lagos State, who commended the organisers for the initiative to enlighten Nigerians to register before the elections said “we have the responsibility to rise up and take our destiny in hands. I want to lend my support to the acronym RSVP which means Register, Select, Vote and Protect your votes. It has captured the essence of why we are here.”

Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Bakare opined that Nigerians must unite and ensure that government take appropriate steps before the conduct of the 2011 elections saying the struggle for a better Nigeria is not yet over. In addition, he said the Save Nigeria Group will not relent in its effort to effect the needed change in Nigeria. adding that it was imperative for people to register and ensure that their votes count in next year’s elections.”

Protem chairman of the Social Democratic Mega Party, Professor Pat Utomi, on his part enjoined Nigerians that “the challenge is simple, you must register to vote, we must have a credible voters’ register but it will not just happen. We must also encourage everybody that it is their right to vote. ”

President of Campaign for Democracy, Dr Joe Odumakin harped on the need for a new voters’ register just as she said that those responsible for producing the current register, being used, must be made to face the law.

National chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande said Nigerians must reject the currently used voters’ register adding “what we have come to tell Nigerians is that the voters’ register presently in use is hereby rejected and has to be shredded. A new register must be compiled, a new register is wanted in this country.”

As the nation awaits the Professor Jega-led INEC to swing into action by overhauling the commission, it is expected that measures needed to conduct a free, fair and credible poll are adopted.