By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Dapo Akinrefon & James Ezema
LAGOS—NOBEL laureate—Professor Wole Soyinka, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, Pastor Tunde Bakare and Professor Pat Utomi have called on the newly-appointed Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru  Jega, to ensure a new voter’s register is provided for the conduct of the 2011 general elections just as they called for the rejection of the current register.

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They also enjoined Nigerians to ensure that they participate in the on-going voter-registration, adding that it was a break or make moment for Nigeria.

They said this yesterday in Lagos at a rally organised by the Save Nigeria Group and the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, CODER.

Eminent Nigerians present at the rally included National Chairman of the Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, Mr. Dele Momodu, Mr. Femi Falana, Dr Joe Odumakin, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Chief Henry Ajomale, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), Mr. Solomon Asemota, SAN, Ms. Ankio Briggs and Mr. Jimi Agbaje, among others.

Make or mar moment for Nigeria

Prof.  Soyinka, who  tasked Nigerians on the need to get registered and ensure that their votes were counted, stressed that the 2011 general elections will be a break or make moment for Nigeria.

According to him, “Now you have your chance. I believe that this nation recognises that it has reached a watershed in its existence; a make or break moment and it is up to you to make it actually happen.

”It is not enough to sit here and insist that there should be, and there must be, a new voters’ register. You must decide what to do if those who are in charge of the process of restoring your voice to you refuse to listen to you.

Soyinka counsels President, Jega

He urged the INEC Chairman and President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the fundamental rights of the people to choose who will govern them is restored in 2011.

He said: “You must decide not only to insist, you must decide on what to do if those who are in charge of this exercise refuse to listen to you and you must prepare to carry out that on behalf of yourselves and on behalf of your children.”

While expressing optimism that the newly-appointed INEC chairman, Prof.  Jega will learn from the past, he, however, hoped that there will not be the need for him to urge Nigerians to troop out to cast their votes.

His words: “My final word is a message to Professor Jega and the President. I know Jega. I trust him, I believe in him, I believe he is going to exert the maximum and I want him to know that the civil society is behind him.

”I want him to know that the world is watching and the world is also behind him because he has excellent credentials.”

Speaking further, he said “I want President Jonathan also to know that the world is watching and the world is behind him in any endeavour which he tries to restore to the people that fundamental right to express who should govern them.

So, the world is also behind the government in this respect. But most important of all, we’re watching, we’re behind them in so far as they proceed in the right direction and they carry out the will of the people.

”And, when the next government is installed, the fully-elected government, that government would ensure that we do not go backward in our history.

”And, one of the ways to do this is to see that those who have violated the fundamental voting rights of our humanity, that they are punished and they are rigorously punished.”

Falana wants INEC overhauled

Also Speaking, Lagos 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.

“It is not good that INEC commissioners in eight states in which governorship elections were nullified are still in office in those states,” he added.

Take destiny in your hands, by Fashola

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.”

Fashola, who dismissed the inability by INEC, to get a voter’s register in place before the 2011 elections enjoined Nigerians not to accept that as an excuse.

Only 7 million voter’s card in circulation — el-Rufai

Former FCT Minister, Mallam el-Rufai said that out of the 52 million voters cards produced for the 2007 general elections, only seven million were distributed by INEC.

He called on the Save Nigeria Group to compel INEC to release the remaining voters’ cards even as he said the commission had sufficient time to embark on the exercise of getting another voter’s register before next year’s poll.

He also faulted the conduct of the 2007 elections which he described as being flawed with irregularities but called on Nigerians not to allow religion and ethnicity to divide them

Struggle not yet over — Bakare

Convener of the Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Bakare, urged Nigerians to unite in ensuring that government took appropriate steps before the conduct of the 2011 elections.

He said the  struggle for a better Nigeria was not yet over, 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, said: “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.

If we don’t protect our votes, it will look as if we have not voted. What is at stake is our self worth and our future.”
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 must be made to face the law.

Also speaking, 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.”