By Henry Umoru
ABUJA—STATESMEN, prominent leaders of the three geo-political zones in the South, under the aegis of Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, SNPA, yesterday condemned in very strong terms, the creation of additional polling units by the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, in favour of  the North.

Rising from an emergency meeting at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, Leaders of the Joint Meeting of the Elders Council and Management Committee of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly SNPA, former Federal Commissioner for Information and South South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark and Rt. Rev. Bolanle Gbonigi, however, tongue-lashed Jega for creating additional 30,000 polling units with the North getting 21,615 and the South, just 8,412.

According to SNPA, allocating 21,615 to the North was not only arbitrary, but a political conspiracy designed by Jega against the Southern part of the country, just as they said that the arrangement was totally unacceptable to the South, warning that it would be resisted by the zone if the electoral body goes ahead with what the Southern people described as Voodoo allocation to the North.

The Assembly called on President Goodluck Jonathan, Senate President, David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; members of the National Assembly and the entire Nigerians to prevail on INEC to withdraw what it described as their obnoxious proposal, warning that refusal by INEC to stop the plan, would plunge the country into needless crisis.

Addressing Journalists at the end of the meeting, Chief Clark who is the Co-ordinating Chairman of SNPA who noted that despite the   concern and non-acceptance of the allocation   by well meaning Nigerians, the Jega-led INEC has continued to pay deaf ears and vehemently refused to shift grounds. He added that the allocation of additional polling units by INEC to parts of the North especially in the North East states of Borno, Bauchi and Adamawa, where so many people have been displaced, was unacceptable to the leadership of the SNPA against the backdrop that under no circumstance will the people of the Southern Nigeria accept the proposal by Jega.

The Assembly while   calling for the immediate withdrawal of what   it described as offensive proposal, also urged INEC to discard totally the proposed 30,000 additional polling units and commence immediate consultation with a view to charting a viable way forward, adding that INEC must conduct 2015 elections on the existing 120,000 polling unit structures nationwide.

The SNPA comprises of the South South; South East and South West geo- political zones of the country.

Chief Clark said, “we view with restrain worries the significant differences between the number of new polling units allocated to the whole of the Southern Zones, (South-West: 4,160, South South: 3,087 and South-East: 1,167) a total of 8,414 which is less that the figure of the North-West alone (7,906) added to the FCT (1,120) totalling 9,026.

“Or even more so the number allocated to the South-South zone (3,087), which is less than half of tha alloted to the North West zone. Then, that of the South East (1,167) which is less than a quarter of any of the Northern zones (North West: 7,906, North East: 5,291,and the North Central: 6,318.

“I repeat, all of these is un reflective of any historical data or any significant statistical data change to inform such such radical disparity in the arbitrary allocation of the polling units to the respective zones.

“For instance the whole of the South West with Lagos, the most populated state in terms of eligible voters in the country added all other south west states, is allotted less than any northern zone, a position not supported by any scientific or proven data”

“I view this insensitive assault on our collective sensibilities gravely worrisome and demanding of our urgent proportionate action. No amount of explanation will be acceptable to the voters of Southern Nigeria.”

Also speaking,   Chairman, Yoruba Unity Forum and leader of South West Delegation to the meeting,Bishop Gbonigi said that INEC’s decision to allocate more additional polling station to the North lacks any logic or wisdom, just as he stressed that   with lower voter turn out at previous elections and the massive exodus of citizens from many of the troubled parts of the North, the large allocation to the north was something INEC cannot substantiate.

Represented by Senator Femi Okurounmu, Bishop Gbonigi said, “The commission has exceeded it’s mandate by restructuring the number of polling units nationwide. Furthermore, it wrote for itself the rules when it decided to restructure the number of polling units in each state using 15% equality of states and 85% promotional representation. The criteria above lack any logic or merit except to create bank of votes for the North to deploy during presidential elections or when a referendum is needed to decide fundamental national issues.

“The South West rejects totally this INEC’s gift and we shall most certainly not fold our alms and watch the future generations yet unborn bargained away. The South is yet to recover from the consequences of the massive injustice done to her when the states and local governments were created during the military era and the Northern Nigeria got 19 states and over 100 more local governments than Southern Nigeria with just 17 states.

“Accepting this new arrangement will amount to making the region completely irrelevant in national affairs.”